Changed
by DragonPrincessXXX
Summary: IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLS.READ! Hermione changes her image, taking the attention of a certain blonde. As revenge on him, she starts making him fall for her by seducing him. But through many events she also starts to fall for him too.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot. Hey guys! The plot of this story just came to me recently. Just so you know, I'm not copying other's ideas. This is very different and _very_ much unlikely to happen but still, I hope you like it!! 

Rating: May change as the story goes on.

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**Changed**

x

_**-Prologue-**_

"Hermione Anne Granger! Come down immediately" Mrs. Granger called out from down the stairs.

Hermione sighed, and took one last look at her reflection from the body mirror, examining herself. The same as usual, bushy brown hair, skinny, and still the bookworm everyone has grown to know.

She was planning on going to the mall that day to buy a whole new set of clothes, accessories and make-up for herself as a treat. She had been saving money for the past two years to buy a new cellular phone, because her mum and dad didn't think it necessary for them to purchase her one. And when she went to the mall a week ago, she realized that they were right, she thought a new image would be much worth it than a new cell phone.

She rushed on brushing her still untamed hair and hurried towards her bed. She turned the codes until it opened revealing a tremendous amount of money. She looked at it for a while, unsure if she should spend everything at once. She exhaled and closed her eyes.

'Will I really waste every penny I have just to improve my image?' she asked herself

'Is that a trick question?' another voice in her head replied

She opened her eyes again and smiled. This really _will _be worth it. She grabbed all the money and hastily put it in her purse and ran down the stairs. As she reached the landing, livid pair of eyes met her.

"And what took you so long?" Mrs. Granger asked eyeing her suspiciously.

"Nothing mum, I was just fixing my hair" Hermione tried to explain. Mrs. Granger looked at her daughter's hair, and raised an eyebrow. "Well- I mean- I was just _trying_ to fix my hair"

Mrs. Granger eyed her daughter one last time before turning around and heading for the door.

"Come now, you know your father and I have a booked schedule today at work" she said as she scurried Hermione to the car as she locked the door to the house.

After a few minutes drive, the mall finally came into view. The reminding and warnings then came in.

"Do you have your extra house keys?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Yes dad"

"Do you know where the bus terminal is?"

"Yes mum"

"Remember, don't talk to anyone suspicious, don't forget to look both sides of the street before you cross, there are a lot of reckless drivers these days, and don't leave your purse anywhere or else someone might-"

Hermione had had enough. "Mum, Dad!! Really! I'm only here at the mall for a day, it's not like I'm going to vacation here for a month or something. I'm fifteen if you haven't noticed, and in a few weeks I will be sixteen, and just to remind you, I can take care of myself!" She said irately and left the car leaving the door ajar. Mr. Granger reached for the handle and pulled it shut.

"She does prove a point," he said to his wife.

"Nonsense, at her age she still needs much of our guidance"

"If you say so dear"

x

'Ughhh! I don't believe them; they can't even consider that I'm capable of being in a mall by myself?' Hermione thought furiously as she continued walking past a few shops in an un-ladylike manner. This continued until...

"Oww!" someone said from behind her "Watch it, will you?"

"H-Huh?" she was cut from her train of thought as she noticed a girl about nineteen or so sitting on the floor, rubbing her side. "Oh my gosh! I-I'm so sorry, I w-wasn't looking were I was going" Hermione said as she went to the girl and held out her hand for her to hold on.

The girl looked up at Hermione and took her out stretched hand. "I-It's alright, just- just watch out next time. I'm Daisy Cassidy by the way," the girl said as she stretched out her hand towards Hermione.

"I'm Hermione Granger" Hermione said as she took Daisy's hand and shook it.

It was only then that she noticed that Daisy was absolutely stunning. She was tall, not too thin and she had a good taste in style. She was wearing a denim miniskirt, which had a huge black belt that matched really well with the black tight-fit sleeveless top and black sneakers she was wearing. Her hair was straight, long, dirty blonde and she had thick make-up on. She was wearing lots of accessories and – Hermione just noticed - had two pairs of piercing on her earlobes, one on her ear cartilage and also has her belly button pierced. Hermione couldn't help but stare at her.

"Hermione? Hermione!" Daisy said as she kept snapping her fingers in front of her.

"H-Huh? Oh sorry, and, umm, by any chance could you tell me where you bought your clothes?" Daisy fought hard to suppress a giggle.

"This was actually just a gift from my friends, but they bought it at _Shang Avenue_. It's a clothes department found on the second floor. I work there as a part time model and just help around with the customers too" Just as Hermione wanted to say something, Daisy stopped her by holding up her hand "I'll take you there, you came to shop for clothes, and the usual teen fashion. Am I correct?" Hermione merely nodded. "Okay then. C'mon!"

After a few hours of shopping for the latest fashion, accessories and make-up, Hermione ended up buying more than she expected and spent less than she expected. Daisy gave her a discount since she bought so much stuff than any other customer they ever had. She bought; about twelve tops – all of which are very illuminating – two tight leather pants, three tight denim jeans, five miniskirts, two fashion caps, two pairs of high sandals, two pairs of sneakers, six different styled bags, five different shades of nail polish, two make-up sets and four pairs of earrings.

x

"Daisy," Hermione asked, her voice slightly shaky while lying down on a chair. "A-Are you sure t-this wouldn't hurt?"

"Well, it didn't for me, it all depends on how you take in the pain" Daisy said as she watched Hermione from one of the stools in the room. Hermione had just asked Daisy where she got her ears and belly button pierced and _unsurprisingly_, she brought Hermione there.

"How many months until I can change the stud again?" Hermione asked the man who was sterilizing the needles. She had been asking him countless times just to keep her from thinking about the pain. She had just finished having her ears - only one pair though - and her ear cartilage done with no worry but having a belly button piercing sounded really..._painful_.

"For the ear piercing, not for another two months" he said in a hoarse voice, still cleaning the necessary apparatuses. "As for the belly button piercing, not for another six months I'm afraid" Hermione nodded while trying to think of other things, like school, homework which still needed completion, new clothes, Harry, Ron, Malfoy, Ginny, Sirius, the new DADA professor...

'Wait, did I just think about Draco Malfoy?' Hermione thought in disgust. 'I can't believe I...I...' Hermione's thoughts were now unclear when she felt something on her stomach, she looked down and saw that the needle was already halfway through, and then she felt the throbbing pain, like someone stabbed her with a dagger.

"Oh my godddd!!!!!" she shrieked then unexpectedly fainted on the chair.

...

...

"Hermione?"

...

"Her-mio-nee...!!"

"Yo, Daisy. Is that her?" an unfamiliar male voice asked. Followed by a shushing sound.

"H-huh? Where a-am I?" Hermione said as she rubbed her eyes, slowly regained consciousness.

"First time I had someone faint in here" another male voice said, although it sounded much familiar then the first one. Hermione sat up slowly and looked around to see Daisy and two other guys. She didn't recognize the other guy who was standing by Daisy but immediately fell in love. He was totally cute!

"Hey there! Names Michael" he said and winked at her. Hermione blushed and looked down.

"I'm Hermione"

"You can go now, remember to put antiseptic on it twice a day for a whole month" the other guy who was sitting down beside her said. When she tried to figure out what he was talking about, her gaze fell on her stomach, which was now occupied by a shimmering diamond stud. Hermione gulped and stood up slowly, feeling it sting a little.

Michael moved towards her and supported her by holding her by the arms. Hermione gladly put her arms around his neck and smiled at him dreamily as they made their way out of the parlor.

_-End of Prologue-_


	2. New Image

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

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_**-Chapter 1: New Image-**_

"Where the heck are they?" Hermione mumbled to herself as she was impatiently standing outside of the train station. Harry and Ron owled her that the three of them would just meet up outside of the station so they'll go through the barrier together.

"Hermione, why don't you go in ahead? Maybe they're already there waiting for you" Mr. Granger suggested. He noticed that many passers-by are ogling at Hermione. "And why are you wearing that outfit young lady?"

"What? It's style," Hermione said as she did a few poses making a few people – mainly boys her age – stop and watch her.

"You stop that," Mr. Granger said in a warning tone "next time, wear something decent when you go out" he continued as he pointed out Hermione's miniskirt and tube-top, which showed off her belly button piercing.

Hermione sighed and walked inside the station with by her parents who were pushing the trolley carrying her trunk beside her. She quickened her pace and walked on ahead of them all the while searching by the barrier of any sign of her two best friends.

"Okay dear," Mrs. Granger started "get going, you have ten minutes left until the train leaves, you'll have enough time to look for a compartment in the train. If either Harry or Ron comes by we'll tell them you went through already. Is that alright with you?" Hermione nodded.

x

"Draco, honey, are sure you have everything with you?" Narcissa Malfoy asked her son.

"Yes mum" Draco replied dully as he was standing by the train, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to arrive.

"Okay good, I'll be going ahead now. I have to meet up with a few friends of mine in less than an hour" she said as she checked the clock, which hung by the barrier. "Good bye Drakey-poo" She gave her son a little kiss on the cheek and disappeared with a _pop_.

"Good bye Drakey-poo!" someone said mockingly. Draco turned around to see Harry and Ron making kissing noises while doing exaggerated hugs with each other.

"Stop it Potter," Draco said and glared at the direction of Harry "you too Weasley" he continued his gaze now at the direction of Ron.

"Make us" both Harry and Ron said together, and then continued on mocking him.

Draco merely glared at them teeth clenched and hands balled into fists. But he then stopped as he was gazing at something behind the two Gryffindors.

"What is it Malfoy? Lost your touch haven't you? Don't have anything to say?" Ron mocked.

"How pathetic" Harry murmured to Ron. Draco heard this and glared at them both but continued to look past them. Harry raised an eyebrow wearing a very confused expression; he then looked over his shoulder to see what Draco was looking at. His jaw dropped.

"Harry?" Ron said as he waved his hand in front of his best friend's face "Harry!" Harry didn't cut his gaze instead pointed at the direction he was looking at. Ron turned to see and his eyes widened.

"Hermione?" Ron said in total shock.

x

As Hermione went through the barrier platform 9 ¾ was already packed with Hogwarts students. While pushing her trolley, she looked around of any sign of her two best friends. Then she got a glimpse of flaming red hair amongst the crowd, who was beside someone with jet-black hair, and a blonde?

Hermione squinted her eyes and noticed that it was Malfoy together with Harry and Ron. She started pushing her trolley to their direction.

"Hey Hermione" Dean Thomas said who was her fellow 6th year Gryffindor. Hermione grinned and waved at him.

"Yo Mione!" someone called out. Hermione looked around and saw Ernie McMillan, a 6th year Hufflepuff waving and grinning at her. She smiled and nodded in response.

A few people had now noticed and started to stare at her. As she was closing in on her best friends, she noticed that a certain blonde was staring at her as what most of the students are doing. She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

'You'll pay Malfoy. You're the reason I'm doing this' Hermione thought. Draco was the main reason she decided to change her image; he had been mocking her since late of her first year at Hogwarts when she became friends with Harry and Ron until the end of her fifth year just before the war. 'It's my turn to play the games now'

Hermione had been thinking on how to make her revenge on Draco, and the only way she knows will work is by _seducing_ him. She had thought of challenging him, but she knows better because they are both at the same level when it comes to academics. She quickened her pace and was slowly closing in on the group. She noticed that Harry was now looking at her direction. She smiled widely at him and waved. Now Ron was looking at her, again she smiled and waved.

"Hermione?" Ron said sounding so shocked.

"Hey Ron! Hey Harry!" She said as she gave her two best friends a tight hug each. Her gaze then fell on Draco, who just stared. "Malfoy" she said drearily to acknowledge his presence.

"Mione?" Harry said, still in shock.

"Yes Harry?" she asked innocently. She noticed that they were still gawking at her and so were most of the students around her. "Guys, please stop gawking at me, it's not like you haven't seen me before"

Harry cleared his throat, which caused Ron and Draco to revert to their senses. "Mione, what happened to you?" he asked while looking at her best friend from head to toe.

"You like?" she asked in a roguish manner and she twirled around.

"We like alright" Ron said and whistled making Hermione flush. "What I want to know is, why?"

"Thought I need a new image," she responded coolly.

"Fair enough" Ron said as Harry nodded. His attention was now drawn to her belly button and her hair. "What is that thing on you stomach? And what did you do to your hair?"

"That," she said indicating her belly button "is a belly button stud, I had it pierced this summer, and as for my hair, I had it straightened"

"Pierced? I heard of that, Dad told me once. It's when muggles push needles through you. So, you mean you had a needle through your- Ewww!!! Mioneee!" Ron made a face. Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes and laughed.

"I see a bunch of muggles having those, it looks cool Mione, but didn't it hurt?" Harry asked

"Thanks Harry and it did hurt a little, but it was worth it" she grinned

"Sounds like a bunch of Muggle rubbish to me" Draco said dryly. Hermione faced him, remembering only now that he was there all this time.

"Nobody asked you ferretboy" Hermione said crudely to Draco. Draco merely smirked and walked towards her, and stopped right in front of her. He lowered his head making their faces mere centimeters apart.

"Just watch out Granger, never know who'll be after you looking like that" Draco said in a serious whisper so only she can hear him. He then straightened himself, still looking at her.

"Thanks for the warning then" Hermione responded half smirking and half smiling at him. He smirked in return and winked, then walked away saying nothing more.

"What was all that about?" Harry said looking at Draco's retreating back suspiciously.

"Oh nothing, just his way of greeting and insulting me at the same time" Hermione lied. He was giving her a compliment of how she looked and decided not to tell them. She smiled one last time at Draco's direction and turned to face her best friends. She took them by their hands and pulled them towards the train "C'mon lets go, our trunks are already brought inside"

x

"Hermione, we know something happened to you this summer, you changed completely," Ron stated as Harry nodded in agreement. "C'mon, you can tell us" Hermione sighed and inhaled deeply, ready to explain everything.

"Okay, I met this girl Daisy, she works at the mall as a model for a certain shop and also a saleslady. She was totally cool, and she looked gorgeous! I asked her if she could help me improve my image and she did, only she did more than that. She helped me with my clothes, accessories and also was cool with me having my ears and belly button pierced. After that she also convinced the manager of the shop to make me a model too" she took another deep breath and continued "spending half my summer with her was great, she showed me how to walk, talk, and look my age. She also changed my whole diet, that's why I'm not too skinny anymore, and also she managed my exercising to keep my figure. Of course mum and dad were a bit suspicious of me for my change since the start to the end of the summer, but I managed to let them off me and-"

"Wait," Harry cut her of "I also wanna know how your parents took all of this, your parents are strict and I just can't believe that they would accept this _change_ of yours" Ron nodded

"Well, I made Daisy talk to them and then they were okay with it in the end. Of course they freaked out when they found out about my belly button piercing, but I managed to calm them down a bit"

"And how were you able to pay for all of it?" Ron asked in wonder, as he was about to open a chocolate frog.

"Savings and salary"

"And are you s- "

"Okay, can we stop with the thousand questions? I've told you what happened right? So if you boys will excuse me, I've got to go see someone," Hermione said as she glanced at her watch and stood up and went out the compartment door.

"Ron, do think Hermione changed a bit too much?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ron replied, as he stuffed the chocolate frog in his mouth.

"Her attitude. I mean, she wasn't at all arguing with Malfoy when we were at the station"

"Dunno what you mean Harry, she's the same old Hermione to me, maybe she was just threatening Malfoy silently so no one could here her"

"If you say so mate, but then - now that you mentioned him - what about Malfoy? Have you noticed that he also changed? Aurors killed his father during the war remember? Just when Voldemort - oh stop flinching Ron – died, he really seems different after it all"

"I doubt it mate, but you do make a point about Malfoy. He didn't even argue back to us that much when we derided him at the station, no name calling, no threatening, no- "

"That's what I'm trying to say all this time!" Harry cut him off. "I- Ugh! Never mind" He sighed and patted his best friend in defeat and took a chocolate frog from his pocket and started to open it.

x

Hermione walked pass different compartments to the end of the train where the prefect meeting would take place. As she arrived six people were already there sitting down and chatting. Ernie McMillan and Hannah Abbott the prefects of Hufflepuff house, Stuart Jenkins and Padma Patil prefects of Ravenclaw house, Dean Thomas along with Hermione for Gryffindor house and Lisa Gerents for Slytherin house.

"Umm, hey guys!" Hermione said awkwardly.

Ernie turned to see Hermione by the door and raised an eyebrow. "Hullo Mione, I didn't get the chance to talk to you at the station"

"What did you want to talk about?"

"To tell you that you absolutely look stunning in that skirt" he winked at her. Padma rolled her eyes and pushed Ernie away and went to sit in his place beside Hermione.

"Mione, people told me that you changed, and they're absolutely right! You look gorgeous!" Padma exclaimed

"Thank you"

"Where did you get that skirt? And what's that on your belly button, can you tell me how to..." Padma and Hannah started asking questions but Hermione couldn't take anything in, because Ernie and Dean were also saying compliments from behind her.

Lisa and Stuart on the other hand were just watching she didn't need to wonder because she doesn't know them very much. All she knew about Stuart is that he had an older sister before who was in the same year as Fred and George, and as for Lisa, she doesn't know anything about her at all except for her name, but she did spot her a few times when they have classes with the Slytherins.

"Mione, your hair looks better than ever, and that top your wearing looks great on you and your..."

"Umm...guys, I forgot something in my trunk, I'll be back in a jiff" she tried to explain as she slowly slid open the door and went out. She rested her back on the door and sighed.

'I don't believe this!' Hermione thought furiously 'They're totally all over me' she sighed one last time and straightened her clothes. 'I better find the other Slytherin prefect, whoever he might be, or else McGonagall might give another lecture about us being tardy'

Hermione opened different compartment doors as she walked further up the train asking who the Slytherin prefect is. But to no avail, most of the students only shook their heads and gawked at her, even the females, until she came to the second to the last compartment up the train. Hermione knocked jadedly and slid open the door of the compartment without hesitation.

"Do any of you know who the- " she abruptly stopped when she saw who were in the compartment and groaned. She did want any trouble, especially at this moment.

"What do you want mudblood?" Pansy Parkinson said as her Slytherin best friend, Millicent Bulstrode, snickered beside her.

"Watch it, pug faced bitch" Hermione retorted casually. Draco smirked at Hermione's come back and Crabbe and Goyle grunted holding back their laughter.

"Why you little- " Pansy started looking ready to pounce at Hermione, but Draco cut her off.

"Parkinson, I would advise you to sit down, I wouldn't want our house to loose points on the first day we arrive" Draco said bluntly and then faced Hermione "Granger, you were saying?"

Hermione eyed him suspiciously but then smirked at him "I was wondering, if any of you know who the Slytherin prefect is aside from Lisa Gerents, because it is time for the meeting that is to be held at the back of the train"

"Why would we care mudblood? And, you better hold your dirty tongue to yourself next time, just because you look different doesn't mean we're gonna treat you differently" Pansy warned who was now standing in front of Hermione.

"We," Draco said as he stood up "would care Parkinson because it is our house, and if you must know, I'm the prefect. Let's get going Granger"

Hermione was a bit suspicious at first as to why Draco Malfoy, Slytherin pureblood king is acting civilized to Hermione. But she just shrugged it off as she noticed that she was blocking the exit, for Draco was standing right in front of her, waiting for her to move. Because of their close distance, she noticed that he smelled really good, he was also about two inches taller than her. His skin was as pale as usual, but his eyes changed. It wasn't the usual stormy gray that she always saw when they bicker in the last five years; she noticed there was a tinge of blue in them. She wondered why but she wasn't entirely sure, so she shrugged it off and moved out of the way.

"Let's go Granger, or we'll be late" Draco said as he grabbed Hermione by the hand and pushed her in front of him to lead the way.

"So, you're gonna start touching me now?" Hermione said nonchalantly without looking back at him as she continued to walk. Draco stopped and pulled her back by the arm and gently pushed her to the wall, resting his hands on either side of her head.

"Scared Granger?" Draco said sounding impish, raising an eyebrow at her. Hermione smirked at him and slowly raised her right hand and touched his left cheek. Draco's eyes followed her hand until it reached his face and looked back at the girl in front of him.

"Why?" Hermione said seductively as she closed the gap between both of them. "Do you think I am?" Draco too slowly came closer to her, but both abruptly stopped at the same time and just stared into each other's eyes.

'I was right, his eyes definitely have a blue in them' Hermione smiled

"C'mon, we have to go before McGonagall arrives or else we'll be late" she said suddenly, transferring the hand on his face to his arm and pulled him after her as she walked towards the end of the train. Draco, for some reason didn't protest, instead he stayed silent until they reached the door to the compartment.

_-End of Chapter-_

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Hope you liked the first two pages!! Please Review! I would very much appreciate it.

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	3. Pink Fluff and Gorgeous Sunset

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Just a warning about this chapter and the story, it is and will turn out to be more IMPOSSIBLE and DIFFERENT from the books. So people who don't agree to this, it's your choice to continue or stop reading.

x

_**-Chapter 2: Pink Fluff and Gorgeous Sunset-**_

"Whew, we made it" Hermione gasped as she and Draco took a seat.

"Good afternoon prefects" McGonagall voice echoed in the compartment.

There was a loud Pop as their Transfiguration teacher suddenly appeared in front of them 

"Now, the headmaster, the other professors and I have b- " McGonagall stopped as her gaze fell on Hermione. "Ms. Granger?" she asked feeling unsure if it were really Hermione, she didn't believe that her most prize student would look the way Hermione did at that moment.

"Yes Professor?" Hermione asked innocently. Professor McGonagall felt half shocked and half feeling that she was about to faint.

"Umm...n-nothing, but, what are you wearing?"

"It's actually a- "

"Never mind, just try to cover up before we get to the castle" the Professor said cutting her off, not wanting to know exactly what she wore was called.

"But I'm going to change into my school robes professor, so- "

"That won't be necessary," the Professor said cutting her off yet again. "Nobody will be changing into their school robes for this day Ms. Granger. As I have said, the headmaster, the other professors and I have been discussing of a surprise start of term party for everyone in the school, in celebration of the cooperation the school had during the war. So it is your Duty to inform the other students that it will no longer be required for them to change into their school robes for the theme will just be casual muggle clothing. I have already spoken to the Head Girl and Boy, Ms. Sandi Cauldwell of Hufflepuff house and Mr. Owen Hirk of Ravenclaw house. If you have anymore questions please ask me or the Head Girl and Boy. More information on the party will be explained once you arrive at the castle.

"Naturally, the official start of term and start of classes will be the day after tomorrow, for tomorrow will be a rest day for the students, except the eight of you along with the Head Girl and Boy will report to my office tomorrow afternoon. Good day"

Pop 

McGonagall disappeared again leaving the eight prefects in silence.

"Well, that was fast...and weird" Ernie stated. "But, as long as it delays the start of classes, then I'm A-okay with it!" he smiled.

Pop 

"Oh and I for- "

"Ahhhhhh!!!!" the perfects shouted in unison as their professor suddenly appeared before them

"What is the matter?" Nobody responded her as they were all gasping for breath. She ignored this and continued. "Anyway, I forgot to tell you, the party will start at 8 o'clock until 1 o'clock at dawn for the headmaster has insisted it be past midnight. So you will still have an hour to unpack your things and rest in your dormitories until the party begins. The headmaster and I will be the ones who will bring you to your dormitories, so once you arrive, you will still be in the Great Hall along with your classmates until you will be called on. I will see you soon"

_Pop_

"Now that was freaky!" Padma said and shook her head. "Anyway, Stuart and I better go now, we only have half an hour left before we arrive at the castle" she stated as she glanced at her wristwatch. She waved at the other prefects and Stuart just nodded to them as they went out.

"I think she's right, we better get a move on" Ernie said as he stood up and stretched a bit. Hannah and Dean were deep in conversation about something as both went out of the room still talking. Ernie glanced back at Hermione and gave her a wink then left the compartment jogging after the others.

Hermione stood up at the same time Lisa did. Lisa stared at her...hard, then gave a small smile then left the compartment without saying anything.

"Okayy...now that, was weird" she said to no one in particular

"She's always like that," Draco said from his seat, scaring Hermione by his sudden response.

"What?"

"She's been like that ever since I met her. She's the smartest witch in our house too," Draco said carelessly. Hermione gave him an odd look as he hastily added "but of course, not as smart as me"

"Now, I'm officially freaked out now" Hermione said as she sat back down beside Draco

"What?"

"Draco Malfoy - Slytherin king and proud pureblood – giving a compliment? Now I know the worlds turned over," Hermione mocked.

"Hahaha" Draco said sarcastically "I'm not as mean as you think I am, especially at this time"

"And what's so different about this time?"

"First of all, my father isn't here anymore. He's been the reason why I'm always pitiless to mudbl- m-muggle borns, and he's the one who raised me, so it's not entirely my fault that I was as spiteful as I was"

"Righhttt..." Hermione said, sounding as if she didn't believe him

"Granger, I- "

"I know, I know. You're as innocent as a baby." Hermione said sarcastically cutting him off. "Now, I have to go, or else Harry and Ron might think someone kidnapped me or something" She said as she slowly stood up and headed for the door. "See you 'round, Draco"

It was only then that Draco faced her. "Did you just say Draco?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, why?"

"Because that's your name?" Hermione said acting to sound confused. "Look, I better go. Bye Draco!" she said and walked out the compartment and slid closes the door.

Draco sat back down "Why the hell did she call me Draco?" he muttered to himself.

Hermione snickered silently to herself and seized her ears off the door 'Let the games begin Malfoy, let the games begin' Hermione thought to herself as she walked towards her compartment. She didn't bother telling the other students about the party, because she knew Dean must have told them already.

x

"Settle down students, we will now begin with the sorting ceremony" Professor McGonagall said as she began clinking on her goblet. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, then brought a stool in front of the Head's table and placed a tattered old hat on top of it.

"Now," the professor began again, "when I call on your name, step forward and put the sorting hat on top of your head and you will be sorted into your houses. Arkins, Chelsea" A smiling girl with blonde pigtails stepped forward and placed the hat on top of her head.

"Ravenclaw!" the sorting hat exclaimed. Chelsea took the hat off and went towards the cheering Ravenclaw table, as a boy came up next.

"Hermione, Dean was the one who told us about the party, where were you anyway?" Harry - from the opposite side of the table - said to Hermione who was twirling her hair while watching the 1st years being sorted.

"I was just talking to Draco," she said dully, still watching at the direction of the Head table.

"Malfoy?" Ron said - who was beside her - too loud than he intended. Hermione looked around and saw a few people around them watching them, also the blonde being spoken of himself. Hermione looked at his direction then smirked and winked. Ron and Harry saw this and their nose wrinkled "Hermione, what are you doing? Are you alright?"

"Of course I am, never better in fact, why?"

"For one thing, you called Malfoy '_Draco_', and for another, you just winked at him" Ron said with a disgusted face.

Hermione looked at Ron and placed one of her hands on his face just like what he did to Draco. "Ron, I'm planning something special for our dearest Malfoy, so don't worry," she said as she made her forehead touch his. "Trust me on this one, okay?" Ron's ears were red as beet, and Hermione could hear Harry opposite them snickering at this, so she then let go of him and faced her other best friend. "And you, my ever dearest Harry, should trust my too, okay? The both of you?" she said as she looked from Harry to Ron. Both still looked suspicious but then nodded in defeat and said nothing more until the last student has been sorted.

"Wrinstan, Eric" Professor called out as she rolled back the piece of parchment with the names of the students. A boy with short burgundy hair stepped forward at placed the sorting hat on his head.

Hermione glanced at the direction of Draco and noticed that he was still staring at her, and he looked mad. 'Hu! What do you know? He's jealous! Serves him right then' She mentally snickered then furrowed her eyebrows and sent him a questioning look. He gave her a weak half smile and then turned to glare in the direction of the Head table.

"Slytherin!" the sorting hat exclaimed for one last time before it was taken away by Filch along with the stool.

Dumbledore stood up from his seat and cleared his throat. "Students and teachers, welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts. But there is something different about this year from the others we had, we are now free from harm's way. Most of the people here have contributed a lot to this school and the whole wizarding world," he looked directly at the Gryffindor trio "and for that, as a treat and a surprise from the staff, we will be having a party tonight, and classes will officially start the day after tomorrow!"

Cheers and applause erupted from the Great Hall at this statement. Anything could barely be heard as the students are now starting to chat about the party, until Dumbledore raised a hand signaling silence.

"Now," he started "prefects please head out into the Entrance Hall with Professor McGonagall, other students, Professor Snape," he said indicating a greasy haired man at his right "will now explain everything about the party" Dumbledore stepped down as he went through a door behind the Head table.

Hermione stood up as did the other prefects, and walked towards the big oak doors. When Hermione reached the doors, the others were already ahead of her except for Draco. She turned to see him still sitting down, arms crossed on the table and his head buried on his arms, completely oblivious to what's happening. She sighed and walked towards him, in between the Slytherin and Hufflepuff table.

As she arrived, she slowly shook him by the shoulder.

"Draco, we're being called, get up," she whispered by his ear as she bent down. Draco sat up and saw her. He glanced around and slowly rose to his feet. Hermione took his hand and walked fast towards the oak doors. She was completely aware of the stares she got from the three houses, and the glares she got from Draco's house, but she deliberately ignored them.

x

"Harry, is still part of her plan?" Ron said totally outraged by the sight of his best friend holding hands with his arch nemesis.

"I hope it is Ron, I hope it is" Harry said with tight fists glaring at the direction of Hermione and Draco.

x

Dumbledore, McGonagall and the other prefects were already waiting for them when they got there. As Dumbledore saw them, his eyes twinkling then nodded in McGonagall's direction.

"Okay now, prefects, please follow me," Professor McGonagall said as she led the way towards the stairs as Dumbledore remained behind from the group just beside Hermione who was still holding Draco's hand.

"Ms. Granger, I was meaning to talk to you"

"Yes sir?" Hermione answered politely facing the headmaster.

"I am rather proud of you for doing your part to end the inter house rivalry" Dumbledore said eyeing her and Draco's hands through his half-moon spectacles.

"Why thank you sir, it is rather better if all of us could just be friends, like Draco and I" she said as she smiled at Draco who smiled back looking suspicious.

"Your welcome, and do try to influence your other classmates, for you are doing a great thing for the school Ms. Granger" Hermione grinned proudly at the headmaster as he walked on to catch up beside McGonagall.

"Friends like you and me huh?" Draco said beside Hermione.

"Aren't we friends? I mean, you said it yourself, you're changed, so it's better to change and start having new friends too," Hermione said looking innocent.

"Oh stop looking all innocent. You're up to something Granger, I know you are, and I'm going to find out" Hermione sighed at this statement.

"It's your mind, and I can't stop you from thinking that, all I'm saying is, you have to trust other people's decisions too, not just yourself, trust others, trust your friends...trust me" she said as she made their distance as they walked closer, their hands not anymore just held, but their fingers now entwined. Hermione smiled and so did Draco. She then pulled him with her towards the group who were now getting farther.

x

"Ron, I'm worried about Mione. Something's not right about her" Harry said feeling doubtful.

"You think you're the only one? You know, I think she's under the Imperious" Ron said as Snape was still talking.

"Ron, can you at least give a plausible statement? Why would Malfoy want her to be under the Imperious curse?"

"Well, it was only a thought" Harry rolled his eyes "And besides, what other reason could there be? There w- "

"Potter! Weasley!" a voice said from the Head table roared. Harry and Ron turned to face a very angry looking Snape "Would you fancy having detention with me instead of a party?" Both shook their heads "Well, I suggest you pay attention" Snape glared at them one last time before continuing with the announcement "As I was saying, the party will be at..."

"Let's discuss this later" Harry muttered to Ron as he shifted on his seat to face their Potion's professor. Ron nodded and did the same.

x

"Okay, this is the entrance to your dormitories" McGonagall said indicating to a painting of a young couple, the woman wearing a wedding gown and the man wearing a tux.

When the groom spotted them, he whispered something to the bride that made her giggle. "Password?" the bride asked while giggling.

"Pink fluff" McGonagall said sternly. The painting stared at her then swung open revealing the common room. She walked inside and stopped in the middle of the room.

When Hermione saw the room, the first thing that came into her mind was heaven. Most of the room was tinted white. One side of the room were filled with books, the shelves still painted in white, another side was occupied by a fireplace which had a white mantle, with four white couches surrounding it, another side had four white double desks that had chairs to go with it, another side was occupied by five paintings in white frames, and at the center of the room was a white round rug.

"This is your common room, and behind these four portraits are four staircases, atop of each staircase are one bedroom and one bathroom, of course the bedroom will have two beds." She said eyeing the prefects as if they were criminals "You have the choice to pick whomever you wish to share it with just as long as he/she is not your housemate and must be of opposite gender. Remember, the purpose of this is for inter house unity. Once you have a partner, you may pick one of the portraits," Indicating the portraits of a grumpy looking centaur, a little boy and girl, a white owl and a thin woman "after doing so, tap on the painting twice and say the password you wish to have which will last the whole school year. This painting," she pointed at the painting, which was in the middle of the five, and colored in different colors spiraling around the canvas "is what you will use if you need to go to your own house, just tap on it once and say the name of the house. Once you do this, this painting will change its color into the house's colors, if this happens once you open it, it will reveal the house common room. Any questions?" Dean raised his hand "Yes Mr. Thomas?"

"Can I be partnered up with Hannah?" he asked looking sheepish. McGonagall sighed and rubbed her temple.

"As I've said, it is your decision, just remember what I said. Now, if there aren't anymore questions, get settled in and be down in the Great Hall by 8 o'clock" she said as her final statement. Dumbledore glanced at the Deputy Headmistress then at the prefects.

"Good evening and I expect to see you all later" was all he said as he walked ahead towards the portrait closely followed by McGonagall.

As the portrait swung close Padma spoke up "Ernie, I'm with you!" she said suddenly as she grabbed Ernie by the arm and pulled him towards a portrait of the thin woman. She tapped on it twice and said, "dazzling daisies". The woman smiled and swung open revealing a spiral staircase going up.

"Hey! You didn't even tell me what I wanted the password to be and besides, I want Her- "

"Oh, never you mind" Padma said hastily "Let's meet up back here five minutes before 8 o'clock, okay?" she ran up the stairs not waiting for an answer. Ernie sighed and glanced at Hermione.

"Meet you back here later" he said loudly but only meant it to Hermione. He then walked up the staircases.

Dean and Hannah then headed for the portrait of the owl. "Pure white" they said in unison. The owl hooted and the portrait swung open. Both then ran up the stairs.

Hermione walked up to the portrait of the little boy and girl "Hello there!" she said happily to the kids.

"Hello!" the little boy replied "What would you like your password to be miss- miss..."

"Granger, Hermione Granger. Hmm..." Hermione then tapped on the portrait twice then said, "gorgeous sunset"

"That sounds so romantic!" the girl exclaimed as she leaned her head on the little boys' shoulder. Hermione smiled as the portrait then swung open.

"C'mon Draco!" Hermione said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the portrait. "Stuart, Lisa, better get a move on, on your quarters, it's almost 8" she said to the two left behind. As Stuart and Lisa moved towards the centaur, Hermione continued pulling Draco up to their bedroom. 'One year with Draco Malfoy in the same room' Hermione sighed and hope it would all be worth it in the end.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Please review!! And as for those who did, I would like to thank you!! Especially:

_Amanda_: My first reviewer!! Thank you! and about what you said about the slutty slutty sex scene, just a hint...you're half wrong.lol.

_Sunshine-Girl03_: Same here! That's why I thought about making one. I'm glad I got you interested!

_Kelly_: I know it's VERY different from the books. As I've mentioned at the first page, the plot and its characters are very different and unlikely to happen. I'm sorry you hate the way I changed the characters but it's MY fanfic. not yours, and this is how I planned them to turn out. If you hate the way I planned it to be, then stop reading it, I'm not forcing you to read it. In fact, if you hate the change, why did you bother reading it in the first place? I don't want to be rude and I'm usually not, but I just had to tell you this.

_Lothliana_: Thanks! Just so you know, I stink at summaries. I've been cutting off words just so it won't exceed the limit of letters.lol.

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: I'll try to watch out for that. I really get confused sometimes! I can't make any promises though, I'm new at writing fics. but thank you for telling me!! And I'm glad you says _really_ a hundred times like it!

_blahdity blah_: I will and already am...I'm gonna try to update this story everyday if not every two days. I've got so much pressure on my shoulders coz of school, so I'm not making any promises!

_thebloodqueen02_: Same here, I love Dm/Hr fics. too!!

_Marz_: Thank yooouuuu!!!!!!!

_dracosgirl15_: I thought everybody would hate it, but I guess I was wrong...Thanks!!!

_funny love_: (I seem to say this all the time.lol) Thank you so much!! Hope you liked this one and the others which will still come up later.

_Sinking-dreams_: I'll try to be quick on writing this fic.! Glad I have a new fan!.lol

_lil-lindy_: Really?? I'm touched!! sniff sniff ...lol. Hope this will continue to be your favorite as this goes on!!

x

Thank you Reviewers!!! I'm glad you read and reviewed, it gets me going on continuing my fic.!! Hope you'll continue reading and reviewing so I'll know how you feel about my stories...bye now!!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	4. Our Bedroom

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

How do you like it so far? Did it go bad or still okay? Anyway, hope you'll like this chapter, I finished writing it just now. The 4th chapter may come the day after tomorrow, but I'm not sure yet, so just trying checking tomorrow. I'm predicting myself to have writers block tomorrow, because of my school exam results (didn't do so well I'm afraid). So bear with me if I delay on posting the 4th chapter. See yah!

x

_**-Chapter 3: Our Bedroom-**_

As Hermione stepped inside the room, she knew right away which one her side was. Half of the room was decorated in green and silver while the other half was decorated in red and gold, both sides divided by a white silk fabric used as a curtain. She went towards the curtains and pulled it to one side of the room then walked lazily to her queen sized bed and flopped herself on top of it as she closed her eyes.

Draco went to his bed and lay on it too. He faced the ceiling, deep in thought. Then a tear slid down from his eyes. Hermione saw this and sat up.

"What's the matter?" she asked entirely curious now.

"Nothing" he said as he hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and rolled over on his stomach. Hermione raised an eyebrow then frowned. She stood up and walked over to his side of the room and sat just by his head.

"Tell me," she said sounding like it was an order

"Why are you doing this Granger?" he said trying to sound rude, but with no luck.

'Because this will be my revenge to you, asshole' Hermione thought. Aloud she said, "Well, because I think everyone needs a friend and I know that your Slytherin buddies were only there because their parents were friends with your parents. That's not friendship at all, which is where I come along. As I have mentioned before, you said it yourself you're _changed_ now, remember?" Hermione lifted his head and rested it on her lap and made him look up so he can see her. "As I've said, you have to trust others besides yourself, and since we'll we in the same room for the whole year, you'll have to learn to trust me, now tell me what's wrong"

Draco stared at her and sat up, his back facing her. "I was just thinking about..._everything_"

"Everything?" Hermione said face showing one of confusion. "What do you mean by _everything_?"

"My life, how it turned out like this"

"Oh" she replied lamely

"Oh what?"

"Nothing, I just didn't expect you were thinking about your life"

"Tell you what Granger, why don't we start over?" Draco faced her and stretched out his hand in front of her. "Since we're going to be together all year round, might as well start over and become friends. Let's just forget everything that happened to us in the past"

Hermione looked at his outstretched hand. 'This will ruin everything in my plan' Hermione thought, but if she didn't take it, he'd think she was still against him. So she took his hand and shook it then smiled at him. "Nice to meet you _Draco Malfoy_"

"Nice to meet you too _Hermione Granger_" Draco said with a genuine smile. "Care to accompany me to the party at the Great Hall _Hermione_?"

"I'd be honored Draco" she said as she curtseyed and slipped her arm through his. They faced each other and laughed as they walked down the stairs together.

x

As Draco and Hermione neared the Great Hall, music can already be heard. When they arrived, the Great Hall looked totally different as it sis during the sorting ceremony. There were a few candles floating, together with a few disco balls rotating in the air. There were different colors of lights, which moved around too. Hermione didn't know where it came form but it made the Great Hall look like a muggle nightclub. The usual four tables disappeared instead there were a few round tables being gathered at the side of the hall. In the other side was a long buffet table where students can just grab a bite or drink from time to time if they were hungry since it was already considered their dinner. The middle of the hall was packed with students dancing and as to where the Head table would usually be, there was a band and a few more round tables and chairs instead.

"Hermione!!" Harry shouted over the music as he ran over to the oak doors. "Where have you been?"

"No where, me and Draco here were just chatting about stuff up in our dormitories" she shouted back "Where's Ron?" Harry looked over his shoulder to find his other best friend gone. He looked back at her and shrugged. "Draco and I are just gonna dance, okay Harry? See yah later!" She said as she winked at him then walked out towards the center of the dance floor dragging Draco with her.

"Hermione, no!" Draco shouted

"Why not?" she shouted and faced him.

"I- I don't know how to dance!"

"Yes you do, everyone does!"

"Well, I don't!" Hermione frowned at this, but still continued to pull him towards the center of the dance floor.

"I'll teach you then!" she said as she stopped and faced him. He looked very unsure. "Just move with the music, bounce with the beat," Hermione than started moving around, and Draco imitated her, and slowly caught on with it "that's it, now, try moving to the beat along with me" she then moved closer to Draco with her back leaned on his chest and as she did some grinds. She turned around, now facing him entirely, she rested her hand on his chest and the other tangled with his hair, she then started to get much more closer to him than he'd imagine.

'This girl really has changed, the last thing I'd ever expect is to be dancing with Granger- I mean Hermione, and the worst part is, I'm actually enjoying this'

'What am I doing? I shouldn't be doing this, this would destroy my plan, and – as I regret saying this - I'm falling in love with him'

Draco twirled Hermione around and brought her back to his chest, and continued with the grinding. He smelled her now straight hair, which smelled strongly of strawberries. His hands were on her legs slowly going up towards her skirt, but then one of her hands took hold of his wandering hand. He thought she would take his hand away from her leg but instead she guided his hand past her skirt and right on her bum. She let go of his hand and wrapped hers by his neck, pulling him down as she whispered into his ear, "Can we go? I'm tired"

Draco stared at her for a moment then nodded. He pulled her by her wrist and guided her out the Hall and back to their dormitories.

x

'What the heck are they up to?' a boy with familiar black-rimmed glasses asked himself as he slowly followed the couple out the Hall, after seeing them dance – if they wanted to call what they did, dancing – he has gotten more doubtful than ever.

He followed them all the way to the magical staircases and observed them from below as they made their way up. He noticed they were on their way to the east wing, where the prefect quarters were found.

'I never would have guessed that I'd say – or rather think – this, but I'm glad I listened to Snape, I would never have known where their quarters were' he was about to step on the first step going up the floors when a thought came over him. 'What the hell is their password?'

He sighed in surrender, until...

"Hey Harry!" a recognizable voice said from behind him, which made him smile widely. Harry turned and looked at his fellow Gryffindor.

"Have you seen Hannah? I've been looking for her everywhere!" he exclaimed sounding exhausted.

"Sorry mate, but I've got a favor, could you tell me what the..." he said, his voice slowly getting quieter as he continued with whispers.

x

Draco went inside their room first and Hermione walked in right after, closing the door behind her and leaning against it. Draco then moved towards her and trapped her like he did at the train when he placed his hands on either side of her head.

"Why are you doing this?" Draco asked while looking down at the floor. Hermione lifted his head by placing her hand at the side of his face like what she did before then just looked into his eyes.

"I don't know," she said as she closed their distance "Why are you approving with this?"

"I don't know" he answered her sounding unsure

Their faces where now a mere centimeter apart, and Draco couldn't stand it anymore and neither can Hermione. Both closed in at the same time resulting their lips to collide. Their eyes shut as they continued kissing with passion.

Hermione felt her everything around her spinning and she sensed a strange feeling that what she was doing was right, and by this she didn't want to let go. Draco on the other hand felt confused and unsure his mind was debating.

'What am I doing?'

'You're kissing a mudblood'

'It feels right'

'But it's against your principles'

'My father's principles'

'Which you must also abide to'

'But he's dead, and I don't care anymore, this the first time I ever felt this way, and I'm glad. So shut up'

With that, Draco cleared his mind and focused on the girl he was with. He was telling the truth that he never felt that way before. He has been with plenty of girls, even slept with them, but none of them had made him feel so intense. Only Hermione did, and they were only kissing. He started to deepen the kiss until...

"Hermione? Are you in there?" said a familiar voice followed by soft knocking.

Draco and Hermione broke apart and looked at each other, then at the door.

"Hermione?" the voice came again. Hermione remained quiet. "Hermione! Open the door, I saw you going out of from the Great Hall a few minutes ago"

Hermione sighed and started heading for the door. As she was about to turn the knob, a forceful hand grabbed her wrist. She turned to see a worried and yet angry looking Draco. She gave him a questioning look, which was returned with a glare and a shake of the head. Hermione turned to the door again, but again was pulled back.

'What is it?' Hermione mouthed to him.

'He'll freak and get suspicious' he mouthed back.

'No he won't'

'Yes he will, he'll-' he stopped as Hermione's hand was already on the knob and was slowly turning it, revealing a very suspicious looking Harry.

As Harry looked at his best friend, he didn't miss out the blonde who was – for some reason – glaring at him. He cocked an eyebrow at Hermione and gave her another suspicious look.

"What?" Hermione asked questioningly, trying to look innocent.

"What are you doing in here? Better yet, what are you doing in here in the same room with Malfoy?"

"I just wanted to take a rest, I was bushed and he was kind enough to escort me back here," she answered smoothly.

"And you invited him into your bedroom?" He stated sternly, sounding a bit like McGonagall. Hermione was about to get to his question but was cut off by a certain blonde not to far away from them, obviously not wanting to be ignored.

"Correction Potter, _our_ bedroom. If you haven't noticed, you should have a look around, or would you rather I give you a little tour of our quarters?" he said in the same tone Harry used.

'Honestly, does everyone here want to be McGonagall?' Hermione thought as the two boys in the room were glaring daggers at each other. Aloud she said, "Stop it both of you, Harry," she said as she looked at her best friend "Draco's right, it is our bedroom, and you," she looked directly at Draco "should have said it a bit less harsh because d-"

A flood of arguments, which – surprisingly – only came from two guys, cut her off. Hermione sighed and raised a hand signaling them to keep quiet. Eventually, both did.

"Will you two stop it?"

"He started it, he's the one who barged in _our_ bedroom" Draco said defiantly, emphasizing '_our_' yet again. Harry glared at him and replied defensibly.

"I did not barge in _your_ bedroom," he started also emphasizing '_your_'. "If I remember correctly – which I do - _I_ even _knocked_ before _I_ came in, which was opened for _me_, I didn't and wouldn't ever barge in _your_ room" Hermione just stared at him.

'How many times could a guy emphasize a word in a sentence? He should have emphasized everything' she thought. She shook her head and said "Stop it both of you, Harry, how did you get through the painting to the common room and our quarters anyway?" it was her time to look at him suspiciously.

"Umm...I guessed it?" he looked at her hopefully – obviously lying. Hermione raised an eyebrow. Harry then looked down looking sheepish. "Okay, I told Dean that you wanted me to come up here to help you with your things, which he obviously believed, and that if I tell you this, he asked me to tell you that he knew your password from this guy, Stuart" he said all of this in one breath.

Hermione just looked at him trying to process everything he just said. When she did, she still continued on looking at him.

"What?"

"Why exactly did you come here?"

"Because, I...I...I got worried! Yeah, got worried and, yeah, I came" he then grinned at her.

Hermione planned on saying 'If you must know, you're a bad liar Harry', so she did.

"If you must know, you're a bad liar Harry" Harry looked at him and then to the smug looking Slytherin behind her.

"You know Hermione, I'm tired of this, why the hell are you taking his side? Who is he now? Your new best friend? Did you replace me and Ron for this piece of scum?" he eyed Draco viciously, and then turned back to the girl in front of him "If you did, you could have just told me because I would have left minutes ago...in fact, I'm leaving right now" Harry turned swiftly towards the door and slammed it ruthlessly, as Hermione stared at the spot where her best – or rather in this situation, ex-best – friend.

"Told you he'd freak" Draco said as he casually made his way to his bed and flopped down and closed his eyes. Hermione quietly made her way to her bed and took one of the square crimson colored pillows, and then made her way to the side of his bed, right above him.

"Draco" she said seductively. He – unsurprisingly – opened his eyes expecting her so close to him ready to kiss him. And he was half right. She was close to him, but not to flood him with kisses, but to flood him with pillow strikes.

"Arghh!!! Stop it!" he repeated this lots of times but Hermione still went on, on whacking him every part of his body - mercilessly. But a few whacks later, she abruptly stopped.

"You made me loose my best friend!" she said crossly and stalked out the room with a slam on the door with no further justification.

All Draco could do was stare at her retreating back. As the door slammed shut, he flopped back on his bed and shut his eyes yet again. He wished for her to come back, but he knew better not to do so.

'What have I done now?' he thought to himself as he sighed. He slowly started slapping his face repeatedly.

"Ouch!" he said, not to soon realizing that his cheeks are stinging from his self-beating.

_-End of Chapter-_

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Thanks for the reviews from the following:

_Lothliana_: Good to know you still love it!

_Zena-Leigh_: Thank you!! I will (from time to time) be giving out hints if I make the ending of a chapter really 'hanging'. Eheheheh! That I will make sure, I'll do.lol. Kepp reading!!

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: Don't worry, I never thought of what you said, as mean. I even appreciate it that you told me! Actually, how I got the idea on the portrait thing was kinda weird. I was supposed to make it blank instead of the swirl of colors thing. Then I got a lot of ideas on how to describe it, my mind was mixed up. That's when I thought about making it swirl, just what my head was doing at the moment.lol. It was funny really.

_Nicole-HP-fan_: Thanks!! Don't worry, I will update!

x

People, please review!! Not much have reviewed than the last time, and I would really appreciate it if you would. As I've said, it gets me going on writing the following chapters. So, don't forget to review!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	5. Suspicions

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey guys! This chapter is not that exciting neither is it as long as the others I have written. I'm currently experiencing writers block, so bear with me here! But I promise that I'll make the next ones more interesting!

x

_**-Chapter 4: Suspicions-**_

Hermione wandered through the corridors on the 4th floor at the east wing of the castle searching for a certain raven-haired boy. It was nearly midnight and everything was silent except for the light beats of music that came from the ground floor from the Great Hall. She had been running through the corridors for a good 10 minutes but still found no sight of her best friend.

x

"Hey Harry!" Ron shouted as Harry walked pass the boys' lavatory. Harry didn't turn back to look at him, instead continued walking. He was looking furious. "Harry!" Ron shouted again as he ran towards his side, "what's wrong?"

Harry glared – at nothing in particular – even harder. Ron then heard him mutter something to himself.

"Come again?" Ron said, not hearing anything, as they were nearing the Great Hall, which gave off a lot of noise from within.

"Hermione's definitely changed!" he shouted out loud, his voice rang through the hall. Even though they heard the music from outside, his best friend's voice still dominated over it. Ron stopped on the spot and looked at Harry's back as he walked towards the Oak doors to the Great Hall, muttering what seemed to be swear words that even he haven't heard before.

'Something's definitely up' he thought to himself, still standing in place and staring at where Harry was.

He breathed in deeply and then exhaled, as he turned around and went up the magical staircases in search for his other best friend. He wanted to go to the Prefects quarters but one problem was...he didn't know where it was.

"Hate myself for not listening to the greasy git" he muttered to himself as he continued up the stairs. As he reached the landing on the 2nd floor, he stopped.

'I can't believe I just said that' he thought to himself. He shuddered and made a face, then started back up the staircases to look for his other best friend.

x

"I've really done it this time," Hermione said to herself as she sat down and leaned her head at the wall, which was right across a window. She stared at the dark skies in the company of the twinkling stars. She stayed like this for a time, taking in its beauty, until she smacked her forehead with her right palm. "I can't believe this!" she said a little louder than she intended.

"I can't either," said an oh-so-familiar voice from her right, which resulted her to jump on her spot. She turned to see her best friend smiling at her and then looked out the window too see what she was looking at. "What are you looking at?"

"The sky" she said in a dreamy voice.

"Why?"

"Oh Ron, can't you even appreciate anything that's around you? Take a look again, doesn't, sort of put you in a trance?" Ron looked back at the window and what it held in the outside. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head to different sides, trying to find what she was talking about. Hermione just stared at him with a look of defeat. He then wrinkled his nose, as if something foul went into his nose.

"What was it I'm looking at again?" he asked confusedly. Hermione pretended to faint and let herself fall on the floor with exaggeration. She brought herself up and shook her head at herself. "What?"

"Nothing Ron, nothing" she said still shaking her head, as she turned back to look out the window.

"Actually Hermione, there is something," Ron started in a serious tone, which caused Hermione to look at him "I saw Harry a while ago, and he looked miffed, when I asked him, he only said – or rather shouted - "Hermione's definitely changed" then continued muttering some swear words to himself, what happened?"

"Nothing, I just- I mean Draco and I- I mean," she took a deep breath "Me and Draco were in the bedroom, and Harry got the wrong idea, they then started arguing about the bedroom that-"

"Wait," he said as she stopped "_both_ of you were in a _bedroom_? _Together_? At the _same_ time? What were you doing in there?" he said looking at her suspiciously, just like how Harry looked when he found out.

"I was getting to that," she gave an exasperated sigh and started "I was getting tired and I asked Draco to accompany me back to _our_ bedroom –yes, _our_ bedroom, so stop giving me that _look_"

"I am not giving you a 'look'," he said defensively "and besides, why couldn't you have asked me or Harry to go back with you? Why Malfoy?"

"Because, you weren't around and I was too tired to look for Harry amongst the other students who were there"

"Yeah right" he replied sounding sarcastic.

"Ron!" she shouted, "I am not lying, so will you please stop being so doubtful and trust me? I have had enough of this from Harry and I don't need it from you, you don't own me you know, and neither does Harry, so back off and just freakin' trust me" she yelled in a higher tone getting pissed off.

Ron looked at her, not believing what he heard. Hermione just breathed deeply a few times before slowly looking up. Ron was still staring at her, his eyes slowly becoming much shadowy forming a glare. Hermione gulped and then shut her eyes, she new what was coming.

'I can't believe I just said that' she thought to herself as Ron was now getting to his feet.

"You know Hermione, Harry was right, you really have changed. In fact, I don't even think your Hermione, the real one never talked back to her best friends, and she never complained whenever somebody might be worried about her. And just right now, I'm sure your not her, either that or your under the Imperius curse. But until the real one comes back, I rather not hang around with you...whoever you are" Ron said harshly as he turned around and stalked back down the corridor.

Hermione stared at him until he turned at a corner, and then smacked her forehead yet again with her right palm.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" she said to herself as she got up and made her way towards the prefects' quarters.

x

Harry had been in the Great Hall, dancing with everybody else until it was nearly 1 o'clock in the morning. The other students had only started to dance now, that the party was soon to end. He would have wanted to dance more, but his legs are not permitting him to do so. He went out the oak doors and slowly headed towards Gryffindor tower.

He was just a few corridors away until a hand pulled him back by his shoulders. He was rather shocked at this, but he still had the initiative to pull out his wand. As his vision rested on his assailant, so did his wand.

"Thought I was the Dark Lord, Potter?" a certain blonde said with a smirk. "I can't believe you're still afraid of him"

Harry glared at his archrival, then smirked at his remark.

"You can't possibly mean _me_ do you Malfoy?" Harry said to Draco with the same smirk plastered on his face, "because _I_ don't seem to be one who is afraid to call _Voldemort_, by name"

Draco raised an eyebrow and glared at him.

"Look Potter, I'm not here to play these foolish games with you"

"Really now?" Harry said sarcastically as he re placed his wand back in his pocket and started his way down the corridor.

"I'm serious Potter" Draco said as he pulled him back yet again.

"What do you want Malfoy? If you wanted Hermione and I to have fight, well, you've done that already, so stop bugging the hell out of me. I'm tired, and your not helping it one bit."

"And who ever said I was _trying_ to help?" Harry glared at him harder with more loathing in his eyes than Draco has ever seen him show.

'To think I used to call him Saint Potter' Draco mentally snickered at his own lame joke then shook his head. "Okay Potter, I just wanted to tell you something,"

"Well, then hurry up!" Harry said as he crossed his arms, still glaring at him, waiting for whatever the Slytherin wanted to say. He doesn't know what made him stay and listen, but from the depths of his mind, he had this slight feeling that it had something to do with Hermione, and he figured it was that.

"Well, you're half right. It is about Hermione," Draco started, but hastily added "I- I mean Granger"

"What about her?"

"What happened to her?"

"What do you care?"

"She's doing something she's not supposed to, and I feel that I like it and I hate it" Draco sighed, he didn't make sense at all!

"Which exactly do you feel?" Harry said, wrinkling his nose and frowning, very confused and annoyed at the conversation he was having with Draco.

Draco glared at him.

"Something's wrong with her Potter, and don't tell me you haven't noticed"

"I have, and I wouldn't care less. If you haven't been listening a while ago, or if you were too busy staring at her ass from behind, we had a fight, Mr. I-know-everything" Draco still continued on glaring at him, getting more irritated as Harry continued with talking and mocking.

"Don't start Potter," he said warningly "I know you want to get your precious friendship back with Granger, and I want to know what's going on with her"

"And your point is?"

"As much as I'd hate to say this, I want you to help me find out what it is" Harry looked at him untrustingly.

"Your up to something"

'Can this guy get anymore daft?' Draco thought to himself as he rolled his eyes. "Obviously! I just told you. I want you to help me. It gives advantage to you as much as it gives advantage to me. You want to be friends again, I can tell"

Harry looked down and sighed. He was going to regret this and he knew it, but maybe – as much as he hate to admit it – Draco was right. He looked up again to face him.

"All right then, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, especially anyone in Gryffindor, they would think I'm a traitor, making a deal with a Slytherin, and among all of them, you!"

"Don't push it Potter, if you must know, I hate doing this as much as you do. With a choice between you and Weasley, I'd rather you help me, at least you have more brains to help me than he does"

"I'd take that as a compliment. And while we're at this, we need a truce, that is, until everything is over," he held out his hand "I don't want any mishaps to happen along the way because of the feuds we had in the past"

Draco looked at his out stretched hand then back at the Harry, disbelieving. With a very annoying feeling in him, he was right. He reluctantly took his hand and shook it.

"But remember, we still need to act as if we despise each other like in our first 4 years here, or else they'd get suspicious"

"Don't worry about that Malfoy, just as long as we don't start doing a first name basis with each other, there's no problem at all"

"Yeah right, as if I would want to" he spat back still getting irritated.

"I would also consider that as acting, since we just had a truce, I wouldn't deem that anything rude you tell me as true" Draco glared at him one last time before turning around swiftly and making his way towards the other side of the corridor from where Harry was going.

Harry stared at nothing in particular then called out to his errr...new friend? 'I wanna hurl' Harry thought. Thinking of Draco Malfoy as his friend wasn't particularly amusing. "Malfoy!"

Draco turned and looked back at Harry emotionless, as usual.

"Remember, not a word to anyone," Harry warned again. Draco smirked at this.

'Does he honestly think I'd tell anyone and risk my reputation? Now I know how daft he is' Draco thought as he turned around and walked down the corridor yet again.

Minutes later, as both boys were cleared out from the corridor... 

"Interesting" a female voice said quietly as she came out from behind a suit of armor, which was just near the spot where the two boys talked.

She smiled at herself for her new discovery, she knew she was eavesdropping, but she _happened_ to be there during their conversation. She smiled even wider as she slowly walked to the way where Harry did just minutes ago.

_-End of Chapter-_

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Who do think it was? Try to guess! Eheheheh...and I know, Harry and Draco with the truce thing is way not right and down right impossible, but you have been warned (since the first page, to be precise).

x

Weee!!! Thankies to:

_Nicole-HP-fan_: Thanks again!!

_FeelingtheFlow_: I'd like to welcome you then! (since your new) and I know, I never really read fics. like this one I made. And I'm glad you like it!

_Lothliana_: Hmm...you'll just have to find out!.lol. It depends in my mood if I want them to be friends again, but right now, I feel they will be friends again. All I can say is, the way they'll be friends again, will be interesting.

_Xxkayleighxx_: Weee...I will update as fast as I can!

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: I felt bad on doing it too, but I have a 'plan' on what to do with him in the later chapters, that's why I meant them to have a fight. I'm glad you found humor in this fic., I don't actually know how to make it humorous but, it seems I have made a couple readers laugh, so I'm grateful! And don't worry, the fight between Harry and Hermione can lead to something 'interesting' later.

_Dumdumditz2_3: Thank you, and I'm currently thinking of new ideas for the next chapter. And about the kissing thing, I for one didn't really like describing how they did it, it's okay for me if they do it, but it's hard for me to describe it.lol. Just a warning though, a few more of it will eventually come...eheheheh! I'm evil!.lol

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Oooohhh, cookie?! Gimme!! I updated! Though it isn't that good, but I still did!

_funny love_: Thank you, glad to know this became one of your faves!!

_rock-and-roll_: Actually it's the 4th chapter not the 5th, but the 3rd chapter was on the 4th page, you must've gotten it mixed up. And I hope you still liked this one! I know it's not much if you compare it to the last chapters, but my brain's just not working right at the moment...lol

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Please guys, R&R!! I need it, and I hope you liked this chapter. I, for one, didn't actually favor this chapter, but as I've mentioned above, I've got writers block.lol. But I really thank you guys for the reviews!! It made me go back on track again! I promise, that the 5th or 6th chapter would be better and much interesting, so again, please keep reviewing!! Bye now!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	6. The Bet

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey!! Hope you won't kill me for this chapter...Your gonna get more curious on who the '_mystery girl_' was. Anyway, this chapter isn't that exciting either, but I hope you'll like it anyway. The more exciting chapters would come someday now. Promise!!

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_**-Chapter 5: The Bet-**_

As Harry walked in the common room, nobody was there except for three oh-so-familiar Gryffindors who were huddled together in a circle.

"What are you guys up to?" Harry said, surprising them of his sudden converse.

One of them looked back to see who it was, and then grinned.

"H-Harry!" Lavender said in surprise.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I-I mean, hello Harry!" she said hastily.

"What are you doing there? It's beyond curfew" he gave the three a suspicious look.

"Umm...we- we were just, talking about the dance!" Parvati said, as a she glared at Lavender for acting so obvious.

"Yeah!" a familiar blonde boy said from beside Parvati. "You know Harry, I took a lot of good pictures of you with that Bones girl from Hufflepuff" Colin said raising and lowering his eyebrows while pointing at his new camera on his hand.

Harry shut his eyes and shook his head. Colin never did give up when it comes to taking pictures of him and other unsuspecting people. His old camera was destroyed during his 4th year when he '_accidentally_' took a picture of Seamus Finnigan picking his nose by the lake. Seamus directly cast a disarming spell at him, causing his camera to fly from his hand and smack right down to the bottom of the lake.

Harry shook his head one last time and continued looking at the three, 'What are they up to? Better yet, why is Colin with those two?' he thought to himself as he looked pointedly at Lavender and Parvati. Both girls returned this by smiling girlishly at him.

Harry made a face, although they were friends, he never really enjoyed their company by much. They were the biggest gossipers in the school and they unfortunately - as Harry thinks it – enjoy Divination, all in all, he thinks they're just too...gigglish – he knows that's not even a real word, but he and Ron described them as such because, all they do most of the time is giggle...for no reason at all. He eyed them distrustfully once more and then slowly made his way up the spiral staircases to his dormitory.

The three turned back to each other and sighed in relief.

"That was close!" Lavender said.

"Way close," Parvati agreed and nodded.

"Do you think he heard anything?" Colin wondered, "I mean, maybe he was there all this time"

"Let's hope not Creevy," Lavender said as he patted Colin by the shoulder "or else we'll – well, I don't really like thinking about it, so let's leave it to that"

Colin nodded in understanding.

"Anyway," Parvati started "as I've said, someone wants to help us, it seems that somebody else was there when we were talking to him even before Colin came in, so she heard everything. That is why, she will be our spy in our little plan, but she said she wanted to keep herself anonymous"

"If she doesn't want anyone else to know who she is, how did you talk to her?" Lavender asked wonderingly.

"Well, when we were walking back here, I found this note in my coat side pocket," she said as she took a tiny piece of paper containing scribbles in it, and handed it to Lavender. "And she says that we will just be writing to each other if we want to say anything important. We will be leaving the messages in a loose brick behind the torch just beside the portrait of the Fat Lady."

"And how will we know if any of us will be leaving a message?" Colin asked wonderingly as he moved closer to Lavender trying to read the note.

"I was also wondering the same thing," Lavender asked as she handed back the note to Parvati, she didn't bother to read the entire note, the handwriting wasn't readable in the dark.

"Well, she suggested in the note that we take turns. She will be putting and taking messages during the late morning and at dinnertime, while we will be during breakfast and in early afternoon." Lavender nodded to this while Colin yawned.

"We should turn in, I'm getting sleepy" Colin said as his eyes were threatening to close.

"Y-Yeahhhh..." Parvati said as she too yawned. She never felt a bit sleepy until Colin mentioned it.

"Wait," Lavender started not sounding a bit less tired "if this girl wants to remain anonymous, what should we call her? And how did you ever know she's a girl?" she said throwing a confused look to Parvati.

Parvati raised her hand, which held the note and waved it in front of Lavender. "She mentioned it here that she is a girl and that she could be trusted. She also mentioned in here that we call her '_Garnet_'."

Lavender nodded and slowly stood up and stretched, finally yawning herself as Parvati and Colin followed.

"Remember Colin, you can only take pictures if we tell you so, don't take any if we don't or else they might suspect something" Lavender said, recalling the scene in her thoughts of how this all even started...

x

A few hours ago... 

Lavender and Parvati were walking down the corridor towards the Great Hall. They knew they were late, but they didn't really care. It was worth it, they had been spending much time in their dormitory to find a _new look_ for them.

After seeing Hermione, they didn't want to be beaten by a bookworm. Hermione had been known for her mind, and both of them were known for their looks and as fashion trendsetters. They didn't like the idea Hermione taking their title and still be smart at the same time, that would bring her to the top, which was – for both their thoughts – reserved for them.

As they stepped on the landing to the 2nd floor, they saw a silhouette of a student coming their way from the right corridor. They stopped to see who it was.

"Damn Potter, why does he always have to ruin everything just when it becomes g-" Draco stopped as he saw the two Gryffindors "Patil? Brown?"

"Malfoy" both said in unison and also nodded together at his direction.

"What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

"How about you? What are you doing here?" Parvati said in the same tone.

"None of your business" he sneered.

"And so is ours" Lavender said cruelly.

Draco glared at the two girls then looked them over.

'What the hell are they wearing?' he thought to himself as his gaze landed on their clothes then on their make-up.

"You girls plan to become clowns or something?" he asked casually.

Lavender was looked ready to jump on him and hit him until he passes out, but Parvati held her by the shoulders.

"If you must know, Malfoy," Parvati started as she spat his name "you will never know a good sense in style even if it hits you right smack onto your face"

He snorted.

"She's right, all you wear is black and it means that you don't have a sense of style in you" Lavender said. Draco still looked about to laugh at their remarks, so, she then added. "Either that or your just bankrupt and you just can't afford any more clothes"

That hit a nerve. Draco looked like he could kill. He glared at Lavender so hard without blinking, you'd think he was trying to kill her through glaring, and he looked like he didn't want to stop. So, Lavender just stared at him with a smug look on her heavily make-upped face.

"At least," Draco started as he walked closer to the duo "Granger has more sense in fashion than both of you do, you two look like house elves wearing rags if you stand too close to her"

Lavender wanted to punch him right on the face. 'How dare he!' she thought to herself. She looked over at her best friend to see she also looked as angry as she did. She was about to yell back a remark, but Parvati started before she had the chance.

"So, you do have a thing for Hermione. Just looking at your face when she approached you at the Slytherin table clearly showed it" she said.

"What do you care who I like or don't?" Draco asked viciously.

"Nothing, just to tell you that you have no chance with her" Parvati replied just as vicious. "Don't forget Malfoy, your pureblood, and she's muggleborn. You also have a past to go along with that too...she did and still despise you"

"Want to make a bet on that Patil?" he said sounding confident.

'Parvati, what are you planning on doing?' Lavender thought to himself as she watched her beast friend and the proud pureblood shoot daggers at each other.

"Sure, Lavender and I are always up for a little challenge, beats not doing anything, what did you have in mind?" Parvati said as she pulled Lavender by the arm to her side.

"If I can get Granger to fall for me by the last day of December, I win, and you two have to wear nothing more than a red string bikini to the graduation ceremony by the end of the school year" Draco said coolly, as if he had already planned this out for days.

Lavender's eyes grew twice than its usual size. 'What?' she thought to herself feeling outraged just by the thought of her doing such a thing. She glanced over to Parvati, whose face was doing nothing more than smirking.

"Agreed, that is, _if_ you win" she replied.

"Oh, you can make sure of that Patil, I-" he stopped as Parvati cut him off.

"But, if w- no, _when_ we win, you will have to wear a skirt to the graduation ceremony" she paused to look at his reaction, he still looked unscathed by the idea

"And," Lavender started as Draco glanced at her "still on the same day, you have to sit on Snape's lap and put a Santa hat on his head at the Head table and tell him that you love him and that he's the best professor you ever met"

Draco's jaw dropped. Lavender looked smug and Parvati grinned at her. Draco shook his head, trying to regain his composure.

"Fine, but just so you know, I_ will_ win this, Malfoy's never loose. Especially to half-bloods" he looked at Parvati "and mud- muggleborns" his gaze fell on Lavender.

"We'll see about that Malfoy" Lavender said "There's no chance Hermione would go for you, you're too much of a Slytherin, your ego is as high as the stars are from earth, and," she paused as she glanced at Parvati then at Draco again "your just a worthless piece of scum"

Draco was fuming. 'This girl was totally full of herself' he thought to himself as he looked at Lavender straight in the eye. 'And this one's no better' he added to his thought now looking at Parvati. Draco glared at both of them.

"We'll see alright," he said in a low but more menacing voice "we'll see" as he continued on glaring at them.

"Smile!" a voice suddenly said from behind Draco. Draco turned to see who it was but was greeted by a flash of whit light.

He shut his eyes and rubbed them all the while uttering a few swear words. He opened his eyes now free from the flash of white, seeing another Gryffindor in front of him, holding a camera, and was also trembling. Obviously he hadn't realized it was he who had his back at him.

"Colin!" Lavender shouted "Will you please watch where you flash that thing?" she was still rubbing her eyes, the other girl beside her on the other hand, wasn't.

"Good one Creevy," Parvati said to the skinny and short blonde boy "but wasn't good enough. I was hoping you could've blind him," she pointed over to Draco who was blinking every two seconds.

"Sorry...I think" Colin said unsurely then shrugged.

"Stupid kid, how long have you been wherever you were?" Draco asked still blinking a couple of times "What did you hear?"

"A f-few stuff" he mumbled out. "When you s-started talking about the bet on Hermione" Draco glared at him and he trembled like young kid about to be punished.

'Who would've thought I could scare a 15 year old by just glaring?' Draco thought 'And they say Gryffindors are brave'

"Sorry, I have to leave, unfortunately, I can't stand amongst Gryffindors for this long, it's bad for me" he said as walked pass the two girls and up the stairs.

"Yeah, how unfortunate" Lavender muttered sarcastically to the two Gryffindors.

"Patil, Brown." Draco's voice came once again. Both turned to look at him "We had a deal, and these sort of things aren't meant to be told to others, but since that kid knows, it's your job not to make him squeal" with that, he turned to the corridor to his left, and out of sight.

The two girls turned to look at Colin.

"Colin," Lavender said to him "you heard him and – unfortunately – I agree with him. You can't tell anyone else. Since you're in on our little secret, all you have to do is take some pictures of..."

Their voices trailed off as they came to hushed whispers.

x

Draco was lying on his bed, doing...absolutely _nothing_. He had been lying around on his bed since his talk with the Gryffindors. He was still confused why he ever made the bet, if he can't pull this off, he will be in so much trouble...

"There's no way I would ever sit on Snape's lap and say I love him. There's just no way." he had been repeating this to himself ever since he arrived in his still empty bedroom.

"There's just no way..." he muttered to himself again, not realizing he was falling into a deep sleep.

x

Hermione was tired. She had been going on strolls through the corridors, half looking for her two best friends and half just thinking. Now, she finally arrived in the prefects' quarters since it really was getting dark outside, and she figured the party had ended for a while now, she hasn't heard any beats of music after her fight with Ron. She looked around the common, which was completely dark, she could barely see her own hand in front of her. She was so tired from her walk, she decided on a rest on one of the white couches for a while, thinking of what to say to Draco in case he was in the bedroom, which she didn't doubt one bit and she wouldn't be surprised if he was still awake, waiting for her.

She was continuing on her thinking, her eyes slowly closing. She was sure she would fall asleep on that couch, until a hand touched her shoulder.

_-End of Chapter-_

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What did you guys think?!!

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Reviewers! Thanks again!!

_Lothliana_: Maybe it was Hermione, and yet maybe it wasn't. And about Draco being fishy...you're right! He is actually up to something (as mentioned in this chapter). But about him and Harry being friends, you'll find out as the story goes.

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Thankies!! munches on cookie gimme another!!.lol. anyway, this chapter gave off a lot about the '_mystery girl_' so, it scratches 2 names from your list (Hermione, Pansy, Ginny, Lavender or Parvati). But I'm not saying that her name is there or not there, it just leaves out Lavender and Parvati from the guesses.

_lil-lindy_: Good guess...but a little line from this chapter gave away that it wasn't Pansy at all and thanks!

_funny love_: Thank you! At first, I thought about not pushing through with the team up, but it serves a great deal to what's about to happen.

_XxPaDfOoTiExX_: hmm...once you've read this chapter, you can't actually think it to be Pansy.lol. But good guess though!!

_Dumdumditz23_: Thanks again!!

_lilpsycho14_: You'll get it some time.lol. The others did, maybe so will you!! :)

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: I'm sorta getting better from it...getting more ideas now.lol. Anyway, I'm currently working on the 6th chapter, so I'll try to make it more interesting.

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Just a little note. The '_mystery girl_' or rather '_Garnet_' will not be revealed until later I'm afraid. But I will be dropping hints about her in the chapters so you guys can try to figure out who she really is on your own. A lot had been given away about her in this chapter, there was a line that said _"She mentioned it here that she is a girl and that she could be trusted." _Just to let you know, the '_mystery girl_' could come from any of the houses.

Thank you for the reviews!! But still keep reviewing please...and I'm glad you guys still enjoyed the chapters, which I considered as boring.lol. The exciting chapter was supposed to be in this one and the next one, but because of my gratitude for your reviews, there has been a change of plan. Eheheheh!! I decided to spice it up a bit and make it more interesting before the good parts. Anyway, again...as I've said loads of times before...read and review!! Bye guys!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	7. Am I Good or Evil?

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hello, just so you know, I'm sick right now!!! Waahhh!! Poor me, I can't write the good stuff yet, I can't think straight because of my cough, colds and my – about to go high – fever. I didn't even plan on making and posting this chapter today, but I did so I won't leave you hanging. I'm not sure if I could post the 7th chapter tomorrow either and please forgive me if I have a few wrong grammars and spellings, I'm just way too tired to check them twice. Anyway, just a little warning, this chapter isn't what you'd expect it to be. Enjoy!!

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_**-Chapter 6: Am I Good or Evil?-**_

Hermione stiffened on her seat. The hand on her shoulder was freezing cold, whoever it was, it liked he/she just came in from a blizzard.

"W-Who are you?" Hermione stuttered out. She wanted to turn her head and see who it was, but she was afraid she might look into the eyes of some evil mad man.

"Scared?" a deep voice said by her ear. The hairs on her neck were standing on edge now, she never heard of that voice before but then maybe the voice was intentional? Hermione slowly started to turn her head. When she did she saw a hideous and scary looking...

x

Draco woke with a start and sat right up on his bed. He rubbed his eyes and checked his watch, it was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning. He got up from his bed and stretched a bit. Hermione's side of the room was amazingly quiet.

He grinned evilly, and slowly made his way to the curtain dividing his from her side and peeked his head through it. He looked around her side, which was all in gold and red. He made a face.

'Ugh, Gryffindor colors' he thought to himself 'I'd rather m-' his train of thought was cut as his gaze landed on Hermione's bed. It was barely touched since they first came into the room when she laid on it.

"Hermione?" he asked - to no one in particular - while approaching her bed and picking up one of the crimson pillows.

He ran out of the door and into the other door across it, which was the bathroom. As he went in, he was rather shocked by it. It was the first time he ever went in there. The tub was the size of a children's pool, and it was rather shallow, since there wasn't any water in it yet. The tiles were white and so were the cupboards, toilet seats and the sink. Although the ceiling was white, it had a light shade of blue mixed together with it, and the towels, which were piled up, were green and red.

He shook his head and looked around, she was – obviously – not there, because if she were, she would be shouting and throwing stuff at him for invading her in the bathroom. He turned and ran out the door and down the spiral staircases, silently, as not to wake anyone in the other rooms. He slowly pushed open the painting and was met by a horrible sight.

A thing!! Yes, a thing –since Draco had no idea what it was because its back was faced at him - was holding Hermione by the shoulder, it was wearing a black cape, and it its skin was as pale as a cloud.

Draco looked around for anything he could use to attack it. He placed his hand on his pants and remembered that he was wearing his green silk boxers (and I mean only his boxers – as in no shirt or anything else! What a sight that would be huh?.lol.), and his wand was under his pillow. Speaking of pillows, his other hand was still on Hermione's pillow. He grinned evilly as he tiptoed towards the 'thing' and stopped a meter away from it. He positioned himself and...

x

"Aahhhh!!" Hermione screamed as the thing that looked like a vampire stumbled over the couch and was now falling on top of her, with it's head on her lap, and a pillow fell on the floor after it.

The vampire grinned at her with its sharp fangs and Hermione screamed yet again and covered her eyes.

x

Draco ran behind the coach and pulled the thing - which he saw was a vampire – by the shirt behind his cape, which was a muggle shirt? He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled it near his face. He studied it for a while as it grinned back at him. He noticed that he was loosing a fang.

He raised an eyebrow. 'This is definitely the worse looking vampire I ever saw' he thought to himself while eyeing him suspiciously.

"You must be the poorest excuse of a vampire in the entire world" Draco sneered as he pulled it up and pushed him down the floor behind him. He was about to jump on him and give him a good punch or two.

"Wait!" it shouted back while positioning his arms in front of his face as a defense.

Draco stopped, he knew that voice. He also noticed that Hermione was now standing beside him, giving the vampire a peculiar look.

"Ernie?" she said in an uncertain tone.

"Umm...h-hi?!" he said sheepishly, as he fumbled on his cape, trying to stand up. Draco was fuming.

"McMillan?! What the hell were you trying to do?" he asked the uncomfortable Hufflepuff. Draco moved towards him as he pulled him forcefully by the shirt.

"Uhh...boo?!" he said uneasily looking at Hermione who was behind Draco looking the same as he was...ready to kill. Hermione walked towards them and pulled Ernie forcefully – very Draco-ish – and eyed him with utmost loathing.

"Try that again, and I'll make sure you won't breath another scent of air" she said threateningly.

"Look Hermione, I was just playing around. I came in late and I, wanted to have a bit of fun, especially when I saw you on the couch alone...in the dark" he raised and lowered his eyebrows repeatedly. He was hoping Hermione would have heard that as a joke.

Hermione's glare turned more menacing. Obviously, she didn't take that as a joke. Her eyes now looked as hard as a rock.

"Calm down Hermione, let a man handle a man" Draco said coolly. He was about to grab Ernie from her but her head snapped to his direction.

"And you," she started, now breathing heavily, her eyes starting to go soft again "t-thank you, D-Draco"

She smiled at him and dropped Ernie forcefully on the floor and then hugged Draco by the neck.

Draco hugged her back awkwardly. He didn't think this girl would get this soft after how she handled Ernie...but, he didn't care, the girl was now wrapped around him, and he was totally okay with it. She rested her head on his _bare_ chest.

"So, are you two a couple now?" Ernie asked attempting to loosen their hatred for him. Both turned to him, emotionless...then glared. "Okay, never mind" he said as he stood up and was now heading towards the portrait of the thin woman, which was slightly open.

"Kids these days, always breaking rules." the thin woman on the portrait started "Its way beyond curfew!" she exclaimed to herself. She shifted around in her portrait and positioned herself for her slumber.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and pulled away from Draco.

"C'mon, lets get to sleep" she said as she went back to the couch and picked up the pillow. She studied it for a while, crimson. "Were you raiding my side of the room?" she asked Draco and threw him a suspicious look.

Draco smiled innocently and shrugged. Hermione raised an eyebrow and walked back towards him then pulled him by the wrist towards their wide-open portrait.

As both walked slowly towards their perspective beds, they can't help but ask themselves the same question...

'Am I good or evil?'

'My plan is working, but I never expected myself to fall for him for real' Hermione thought as she just finished changing into her pajamas.

'I am sure to win the bet, but she's going to kill me for sure if she finds out that I'm just using her' Draco thought and sighed, staring at the ceiling now on his bed with his body covered by his quilt.

x

The couches were turned to face the center of the common room instead of the fire, in preparation for their short meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall.

'Ugghhh...' Hermione groaned in her thoughts. She hadn't eaten anything for the whole day and it's already after lunch. 'Note to self, go to sleep before midnight to avoid missing meals and to avoid a freaky Ernie'

She glanced over to Ernie's couch, Padma was talking and he was nodding - obviously not listening – at whatever she was saying. He then looked at Hermione then grinned. Hermione smiled back awkwardly, she was still half mad and half freaked out by him. He then abruptly turned to look at Padma. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, and then turned to her other side, she raised an eyebrow as she saw Draco still glaring at his direction. She was about to comment on this, until...

"Prefects," Professor McGonagall started as she walked into the prefects' common room early in the afternoon along with Dumbledore, Owen and Sandi "as you may already know, tomorrow will be the official start of classes. Now, every year we seem to have a change of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors."

Dumbledore then conjured five white wooden chairs, which were carved with breath taking designs. The four who just entered sat on it as Professor McGonagall continued with her speech.

'Five?' Hermione wondered. There were only four of them.

"This year and for the next years to come, we will be having Professor Lupin back to take over the class" she said as she waved her hand by the entrance.

"Good afternoon everyone" Lupin said as he bowed his head to everyone.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione exclaimed as she stood up from the couch and hugged her 3rd year DADA professor. Draco snorted.

"Hermione?" he started, he was rather shocked seeing Hermione with a different look. "Why hello! Glad to see you again" he continued as he patted Hermione's head.

"That is enough Ms. Granger" McGonagall said sternly.

Hermione glanced at Lupin then at McGonagall and then walked back to the couch, as Lupin sat on the extra chair closest to the exit.

"You already realize of course that Professor Lupin is...special" Lupin smiled at McGonagall. "So, whenever something might happen, I would expect all 10 of you to be responsible with it. You already know it cannot be controlled"

Hermione glanced back at Lupin. He didn't look much different since the war. Still a bit shabby because of his clothes, but he still had his usual composure as he usually did. She always looked up to him because he was just like her. He was and still remains to be...brilliant. Hermione grinned.

Lupin sent her a confused expression but smiled all the same. Harry and Ron had told him about Hermione when they ran into him when he was walking down the corridor on his way here. All hey said is that she's changed. Surely they didn't mean this Hermione, her persona is the same as usual, although he can't help but notice how different he looked in the outside, but he never did care about physical appearances. He usually judges people by their intentions. So maybe what Harry and Ron meant is just her physical appearance.

But he can't help thinking, Harry and Ron were rather warning him instead of just informing him. Just to be secured, he would just observe at what will happen this year.

"Now," McGonagall's voice started again "this year, we would be having a series of celebrations. There's the Halloween masquerade ball, the Yule ball, the New Year's celebration, Valentines carnival, and then the Farewell party which will be held the day before graduation."

The prefects all nodded in understanding. But the people in the room can't help but think about it, they never had a masquerade ball and a valentine's carnival before, they just had different thoughts about it.

Padma: 'Aww, how sweet! I will be sure to get Ernie's attention this time' she thought as she looked at Ernie who was beside her on the couch.

Ernie: 'Good, another way to get Hermione's attention' he thought as he looked over at Hermione who was twirling a lock of her hair.

Hannah: 'Yes! I get to be with Hannah without getting obvious'

Dean: 'Yes! I get to be with Dean without getting obvious' both looked at each other at the same time then hastily moved their heads to look at the opposite direction.

Hermione: 'Goody, more chances of getting my plan into action and this will certainly be a blast, I'm most certainly going to be match maker on the valentine's carnival!' Hermione exclaimed to herself mentally 'I wonder why Professor Dumbledore wanted to hold a lot of celebrations this year?' her gaze fell on her Headmaster who was looking right back at her with a smile and twinkling eyes behind his half-moon spectacles. Hermione smiled back, then he looked at Draco.

Draco: 'Girly stuff' Draco sneered in his thoughts. He glanced over at Hermione who looked absolutely joyous. 'What is it with girls and balls? And why the hell is the headmaster looking at me?' he wondered. He didn't need to look at him, he already noticed it from the corner of his eye.

Lisa: 'Great, more times to see other girls fall over for boys' she thought to herself sarcastically.

Stuart: 'Aww man! Now I have to buy new clothes' he thought, eyebrows furrowed.

Owen: 'Oh good, more excuses to fail my NEWTs' he thought sarcastically, unsure of the idea.

Sandi: 'No! What about our NEWTs?' she thought to herself worriedly.

McGonagall: 'Now I have to buy more decorations!' she thought, her expression looking tired.

Lupin: 'Malfoy seems to have changed too. Why is he looking at Hermione in a rather peculiar way?' he wondered as he looked at Draco giving Hermione an odd yet with-good-intentions look. 'It seems as though they're both friends'

Dumbledore: 'I hope this will be a success and bring more people together,' he thought as he looked at each person in the room each filled with different emotions, clearly shown in their facial expression. His gaze fell on Hermione then at Draco 'and I hope these two will make the right decision' he smiled again then stood up.

"Prefects," Dumbledore said aloud as he stood up and looked at the prefects in front of him "heads," his gaze now on the Head boy and girl beside him "this is all for this day, we will have another meeting not too far from now, for I have a few projects in store for all of you"

His gaze rested on Hermione and Draco for a while, then he nodded at the four people beside him. They stood up and Dumbledore waved his wand. The five chairs hovered towards the right side of the fireplace.

"Good afternoon to you all" he said with a final tone and started for the door, closely followed by McGonagall and the two heads. Lupin on the other hand didn't move on his spot, instead he signaled for Hermione to approach him.

Hermione waited for the other prefects to leave. Only Draco was left, he did stand up but he only turned and faced the fireplace and balanced himself by resting his hand against the wall above it. Realizing that he wouldn't leave, she walked slowly towards her professor and stopped right in front of him. Lupin kneeled, he knew it wasn't necessary, the heels on her sandals brought her to level by his shoulder, but he still did anyway. He rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, do you have anything to tell me?"

"Not that I know of professor, why?"

"Well, let's just say two certain people told me certain things, and t-"

"Oh," Hermione said, making him stop "it's Harry and Ron isn't it?" she continued with a dismal expression on her face.

"Look, it's nothing really. They just told me you changed. I for one haven't noticed that," Hermione gave him a 'look' "well, okay I have but it's only your appearance, but your attitude for one didn't, and maybe even not yet. But since Harry and Ron told me this, I guess it's only right if you know what they are thinking too"

Hermione smiled weakly. She knew Harry and Ron were really ticked off by her, but she never fully realized that they really felt that way. I mean, really, warning their professor about her was something she didn't expect at all.

"Listen, you can always be friends again, just try talk to them and try to sort this out, I'm sure they'd understand if they knew your side of the story." Hermione nodded "And by the way, what's going on between you and Malfoy?" he asked looking over her shoulder at the blonde who had his back to them waiting for her in front of the crackling fire.

"Nothing, w-were just friends that's all. I just thought it would be better to get along with him since I have to put up with him all school year" Lupin thought otherwise but just nodded and stood up and letting go of his grip on her shoulder.

"Well," he said as he dusted his robes "I better get going I have to unpack a few stuff to get ready for tomorrows schedule"

Hermione nodded and he smiled down at her.

"Don't worry so much Hermione, everything will be okay, just watch out for him" he said as he nodded his head over to Draco who still had his back to them "he might have something up his sleeve. The war might have changed him but not entirely, remember that he is a Malfoy, its in his nature. I mean, he was raised by Lucius, some bits of the old spiteful git will surely be still on him."

Hermione can't help herself to snicker at this. Hearing an adult say cruel stuff about another adult is something you don't hear all the time, especially if it comes from Lupin. She would have expected this from Sirius, but never from Lupin.

'Sirius,' she thought to herself 'I bet he's already against me, I know Harry must've told him about all this by now' she frowned, she never really liked to go against Sirius, he was a really nice person, but he would go about scolding anyone who does something wrong, no matter how young or old you are. (I know Sirius is dead by their 5th year, but I just can't accept it. Anyway, for this chapter, just think that he was able to come out of the veil because of some connection he had with Harry)

Hermione looked back up at Lupin and smiled.

"Thank you Professor" she said.

"Your welcome," he smiled and placed his hand back on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze "see you in class Hermione"

Lupin turned around and walked out the common room. Hermione looked at his retreating back deep in thought.

"What? Are you going to stand there all day?" the familiar sneering voice said from behind her.

"If your going to be grumpy about it, why did you even bother waiting for me?" she said as cruelly back at him.

Draco smirked and approached her.

"I want to get some food. We didn't have breakfast and lunch, remember? We slept in late because of our little escapade" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You still could've gone there without me"

"And where's the fun in that?" Hermione childishly stuck out her tongue at him "Plus, I know your stomach is killing you right now, so c'mon"

Draco grabbed her hand as they walked out of the common room.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Not that exciting, but that's how I planned this chapter to be...hope you guys still liked it! I also didn't make the ending hanging like the last two, you guys might hate me if I do it all the time.lol

x

Again with the thank you(s)...

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Thankies for ze cookie again!!lol. munches Well, as much as I want to, I can't reveal her..._yet_. Anyway, I'm not saying your guess is right or wrong, it's just that, I can't tell!!lol.

_XxPaDfOoTiExX_: Thankies!! It just came to me like my illness just did right now...good guess by the way! But I can't tell if it's really her or not. ;p

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: Yeah, I'm currently trying to avoid it, because if I don't you guys might kill me before I get to finish the story.lol

_clarissa_: Thank you...and which chapter and specific line are you referring to? Chapter 3 (since it's the chapter you reviewed on) or Chapter 5? (which I just posted recently)

x

Hey guys!! Glad your enjoying this fic. so far, it will get better. Just be patient. As I've said on my note above, I'm sick, so sorry if it wasn't that good for you – because for me it wasn't - and please, Read and Review!! Bye now!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	8. No Beard

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

I'm not that sick now, thank God! I was rather tired this morning, had to go present at school along with the rest of the club (Drum Corps). I think I sweated out all my sickness!lol. Anyway, I hope you'll like this chapter. It's not much and it's long and rather unusual. Hope you'll enjoy this. Read on!!

x

_**-Chapter 7: No Beard-**_

"Wait, I know why you waited for me rather than going on your own." Hermione said as she stopped on her spot. Draco raised an eyebrow "You don't know where the kitchens are, do you?"

He looked the other way.

"Aha! I was right!" she exclaimed smugly.

"Humph...whatever" Draco said as he quickened his pace, about to turn to the corridor to his left.

Hermione cleared her throat. Draco turned his head to look at her and glared. She was pointing her thumb to the right corridor. Draco turned and walked to her and stopped right in front of her.

"Alright, I don't know where it is, but I know you do. I've heard of your little parties at Gryffindor tower, I bribed a 2nd year once into telling me what you do in that tower of yours" Hermione looked appalled. He smirked.

"Goes to show what spoiled brats do with their money while poor children are out there begging on the streets" She glared at him.

"Huh?"

Hermione shook her head. She forgot that Draco mustn't have seen poor children beg on the streets since she herself never even saw poor witches and wizards. Unless you count the Weasleys, but they still had money for the family, and she was sure they never beg on the streets.

"Nothing, it's a muggle thing" she said, still glaring at nothing in particular and then continued walking down the corridor, leaving him to trail after her.

"So, what did that mad man tell you?" Draco started just to lighten the mood.

"He is not mad, he's a brilliant wizard if you must know" Hermione replied irritably, they were now close to the kitchens.

"He's mad, he is a werewolf after all"

"Just because he is a werewolf doesn't mean he's mad. Besides, it's not like he has a choice to be one" she crossed her arms with her head held high and walked faster as they were a corridor away from the painting of the fruit bowl now.

"Sure..." he said sarcastically.

Clunk 

"Draco I-" she stopped as he abruptly stopped and covered her mouth with his hand.

Clunk. Clunk 

Hermione gave her a questioning look and was returned by placing his finger to his mouth, signaling her to be quiet. He stayed still and looked around, his hand still covering her mouth.

Draco looked around once more then took his hand back. She pulled Hermione slowly and started walking again, still signaling her to keep quiet.

Clunk. Clunk 

Draco and Hermione both turned their heads to their back seeing nothing.

'What the hell is making that clunking noise?' Draco thought to himself.

Both continued walking, heads facing their back. They were walking backwards.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk 

The clunking noise has gotten faster, both of the teenagers set off in a run still backwards. Draco pulled Hermione sharply to a corner and both leaned on the wall gasping for breath. They arrived at the corridor where the painting was hung. Hermione could tell, the huge painting was at the end of the corridor they were in.

Clunk. Clunk 

Hermione looked at Draco, whose face was twisted. Hermione looked at him confusedly, then her face twisted too, as a horrible smell just entered her nose. She clasped her hands over her nose and gave Draco a sickening look. It was the smell of...fish?

'That's not me!' Draco whispered to her.

"Ahh...that be me, me lady" a voice with a weird accent said from Hermione's other side.

Hermione turned around to see no one.

"Down here!" the voice said again.

Hermione looked down to see a very weird sight. It was a house elf, but definitely not an ordinary one. It was...a pirate house elf?

Hermione eyed it carefully, polka dotted handkerchief tied like a bandana around its head, black quilt around his tiny body, brown belt, the pirate accent, a silver hoop earring on his left floppy ear, a black eye patch, and...

'..._a wooden peg leg_' Hermione thought to herself. 'So that's what made those clunking noises' she rolled her eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Draco asked rudely from behind her. Hermione elbowed him by the stomach.

"Umm...hi! W-who are you?"

"I be No Beard, but yee can call me Noby or Nobs" the house elf bowed deeply at Hermione and Draco.

"Okay, N-Noby" Hermione said unsurely. She never met or even saw a pirate house elf, and she just can't help but wrinkle her nose from the awful stench. "Uhh...Noby, by any chance could you tell me what that smell is?"

Noby reached under his quilt and pulled out a huge dead fish.

"I was testing me new spear," he said as he pointed his thumb to his back where a small stick with a sharp tip stuck out "I got this beauty in the lake" he held up the fish in front of them looking proud.

Hermione thought she was about to faint, the smell grew stronger, and the fish – she noticed - was turning to a moldy green. Draco, on the other hand was giving him a 'look'. He couldn't get how a little house elf with a little sharp stick get such a huge fish. Hermione cleared her throat.

"W-well, congratulations for your catch!" she smiled awkwardly. Draco knew she was trying to hide her expression of disgust with a smile.

"Why are you here anyway?" Draco asked as she walked in front of Hermione, relieving her of her misery from the smell.

"I be a new house elf here at Hogwarts," he said starting to look grave as he looked down. "Me master was killed during the war"

Hermione was looking over from Draco's shoulder and can't help feel bad for the house elf as she saw his expression. Draco on the other hand looked at him suspiciously.

"Who did you work for? A Death Eater?" he asked.

"Why no lad, me master was Mr. Shacklebolt, he be an Auror" he said more grimly as he took his bandana and held it to his chest.

"Shacklebolt?" Hermione repeated. "Do you mean Kingsley? But, h-he didn't die during the war"

"No, no me lady. Master Kriston be my master, Mr. Kingsley's cousin" Noby said as he re placed his bandana on his head.

"Oh, I didn't know he had a cousin. Sorry"

"That be okay me lady. Yee mean no harm, and why yee be here in these parts of the castle?"

"We were going to the kitchens to get food until you little runt came along and-" Hermione elbowed Draco yet again.

"Don't be rude!" she whispered to him. Draco crossed his arms.

"We were going to the kitchens to get some food Noby, if you don't mind can we pass and go there?"

"Sure me lady, let Noby take you there"

Noby started clunking his way towards the painting. As they arrived in front of it, he made a hand gesture and bowed. Hermione smiled at him then made a face as she faced the painting, the smell of the dead fish was still pretty strong. She tickled the pear and the painting swung open, revealing busy house elves.

"Lads!" Noby shouted over the noise of the clinking china and the sizzle of the food being cooked for dinner. The house elves stopped and gathered around Noby. "They be- err..." Noby stopped and looked at Hermione and Draco.

"Hermione and Draco" Hermione whispered to him.

"They be Hermione and Draco, and they be needing lots of food" after this statement, the house elves scattered around, each bringing them both something to eat and drink.

"Now this I like" Draco said, looking over at all the offerings. Hermione rolled her eyes while Noby gave the stinky fish to another house elf who made a disgusted face. Both were then lead to a near by table where the elves placed the food on in turns.

Hermione sighed, she had given up on S.P.E.W. right before the war. She had known that the house elves like the labor, Harry and Ron told her every time she tried to get recruits for the organization, but she just can't help feel sorry for the bug-eyed things.

She hadn't realized that she was staring out into space until there was a burping noise in front of her. She shook her head and saw Draco across the table from her who was already munching in on every piece of food he could get his hands on.

"M-miss?" a familiar quivering, squeaky voice said from her side. Hermione turned and grinned.

"Dobby!" she practically shouted. The house elf ducked under the table and started to tremble.

"What did you say?" came Draco's questioning voice from across the table.

"Dobby" Hermione repeated. She then felt someone tug her skirt from underneath her. "What is it?"

The house elf vigorously shook his head at her direction. Hermione looked at him, puzzled by the house elf's actions.

"You mean _my_ Dobby? _My_ house elf?" Draco said still with a questioning voice.

"Yes, he's under the table" Hermione replied as she looked back underneath the table.

Dobby looked horrified as his eyes went even bigger than usual, then the unexpected happened, he fainted.

x

"Professor? Are you in here?" Harry and Ron said in unison as they entered the DADA classroom.

"I'm in here!" came the voice of Lupin from his office, which was up the short staircases at the end of the classroom.

Harry and Ron jogged up the stairs and into the room to find their short time professor but long time friend...playing?

Remus Lupin, professor of the DADA class, in one corner of his office, playing wizards chess against the chess itself.

"Cool!" Ron exclaimed as he pulled a chair and sat down on it in the middle of the table.

"Professor?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes Harry?" Lupin replied without looking up as he made his move. "Pawn to E4"

The bishop from the wizard chess set moved to the designated place and smashed the opponent's knight.

"Wow professor! How did you make it play against you?" Ron asked, both amazed and jealous at the same time. "Mine never does that"

Lupin looked up and smiled at the amazed redhead.

"Just a gift from a friend" he looked back down "Queen to D6, checkmate" the opponents king took its sword and stabbed itself and fell into pieces on the board.

"Your good" Ron nodded while studying the board.

Lupin grinned as he took all of the broken pieces and placed them back on the bard in a pile. He took out his wand and pointed to it to the pile of shattered pieces.

"Reparo" the pieces slowly moved around and formed back into its original shapes. After everything was in order, Lupin pocketed his wand and waved his hand. The chess pieces moved around yet again to their respective places. "So, why are you here?" he asked as he stood up from his chair and walked towards his desk and half sat on it.

"Did you see Hermione?" Harry asked as he looked over to Ron, who was still staring at the chess set. As Harry sees it, he seems to have the urge to move the pieces and play.

"Indeed I did Harry" Lupin smiled at him as he moved around his desk and sat on the huge chair behind it.

"And?" Harry asked getting more eager as he spoke.

"Your wrong..." his professor said serenely.

"What? B-" he stopped as Lupin raised a hand in front of him, signaling to hear him out first.

"...for now." Lupin smiled "I haven't noticed anything change in her except for her appearance and her being friends with Malfoy" Harry sighed at this. "Look Harry, as I've said it's only for now. I have been here for only a day and I've only seen and talked to Hermione once, so I wouldn't know for sure until we just move on and see what happens. Just be patient and I'll try to talk and help her out for you, just like you asked me when something really does happen, okay?"

Harry nodded and smiled at him. He thought about writing to Sirius about this but he knew he would right away owl Hermione that she had done wrong or maybe come to Hogwarts and tell her himself. If he finds out that Draco is a part of all of this, he might even blame him that he got her under the Imperius curse or another. He was always very judgmental especially to his rivals. And since Draco is the son of Lucius, Snape's prized student, and Harry's rival, he would probably plot ways on killing him in revenge to Lucius and Snape.

'Kind of reminds me of Ron' Harry thought and smiled to himself.

"Bloody hell!" thinking of which, the particular person he was thinking about exclaimed from the corner of the room. "This thing is wicked! It bloody beat me!" Ron exclaimed yet again.

Harry and Lupin gave him a 'look'.

"What?" he asked naively. "The bloody thing beat me!"

Harry rolled his eyes as Lupin laughed.

'I think I'll write to Sirius when the right time comes' Harry thought and laughed along with his professor.

x

"Dobby?" Hermione asked the house elf who was now laid down on the carpet by the crackling fire of the kitchen.

"Dobby be the softest of the soft among the house elves I met" Noby said, nodding his head.

"I still can't believe my house elf works here"

"Oh suck it up Draco," she replied as she continued fanning Dobby with her hand "he's not your house elf anymore"

"I know, Potter gave him a sock during our 2nd year, father told me. He went nuts that day, he scolded me in the Slytherin dungeons for not being better at Potter" Draco glared at the fire at the thought of his father. "I hate that old loon"

Dobby moved.

"Dobby?"

"M-miss?" the house elf squeaked out.

"Yo ho! He be awake now," Noby said with his jolly pirate accented voice.

"Noby!" Dobby exclaimed, as he quickly stood up from the rug and walked towards the pirate house elf. "Sorry for fainting"

"That be okay mate, it is not yee fault"

"But it is, Dobby is so easily scared by Dobby's former m-" he stopped as he saw Draco sitting on a couch behind Noby, and then ran behind Hermione.

"Dobby? What's wrong with you?"

"Former master has come to take Dobby miss, don't let him take Dobby away" he trembled behind her.

"Don't worry Dobby, Draco's different from his father, and Lucius is dead now"

The house elf was still trembling but not by much anymore when Hermione said Lucius was dead.

"No," Dobby said shaking his huge head "Draco is the same, the same" he snuck a peak at Draco and was met by his stony glare. "Ahhh!!!" the house elf screamed as he hid back behind Hermione.

"If you must know, you pitiful house elf" Hermione glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "Dobby, I'm different from my father, so don't worry, besides, I can't kick you around, I don't own you anymore"

It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes. That wasn't the kind way of saying it, but it was satisfying coming from Draco Malfoy, and Dobby seemed to think so too as he now stopped trembling behind her and walked in front of her towards Draco.

"Dobby is still sorry sir for-"

"Righhttt..." Draco said before the house elf could finish as he took a loose thread from his robes.

"But sir Dobby is really-"

"Look, you little r-" he stopped as Hermione gave him another glare "Dobby, it's alright, everything's alright, really. You don't need to apologize, I'm nothing like my father, so it's okay"

Dobby smiled up at him and hugged his leg. Hermione grinned as Draco glared.

"Ayy," Noby said as he made a sniffing noise "a friendship brought back" he continued sniffing as he clunked away towards the other house elves.

"Thank you sir!" Dobby said cheerfully as he still held Draco's leg.

"Umm...Dobby? Can you come here a sec.?" Hermione called out to the elf. Draco looked like he could strangle Dobby by the way he was looking at him. Dobby stopped in front of her. "Who is Noby to you?" she asked curiously. She had noticed that the other house elves seem to have given him high respect above all the others.

She looked over the house elf's shoulder to see the pirate house elf talking to Winky who now seem to be normal than the last time she saw her.

"Noby is a great house elf miss, Dobby and others respect him so much for his great service to his master. Noby is very loyal to his master and tried to help his master in the war even though Noby knew he an do nothing"

Hermione nodded and slowly stood up.

"Thank you Dobby," she said then turned to face the still glaring blonde "c'mon Draco, we better go now"

Draco still glared at her for no reason but Hermione just grinned at him.

'If I didn't have to win this bet, and if she weren't so pretty, I wouldn't have let her go away with all this' Draco thought regretfully to himself as he walked out of the portrait. Hermione was still inside, saying her good byes to Dobby and Noby.

"Malfoy!" someone shouted from the other end of the corridor. Draco turned to look and glared at what his gaze fell on.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviewers!

_Lothliana_: It's okay, and I'm glad you still love it!

_kk_: Thanks!!

_dramaqueen72_: Don't worry, more of the both of them together will come...

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: Cool, im flattered!!lol. Yeah, I miss Sirius too!! I wanted adults to be involved in this fic. and I'd rather Lupin and Sirius be the ones than others.

_funny love_: Fellow Lupin fan!!lol. I really wanted him to be in this.

_XxPaDfOoTiExX_: Thank you again, and I will update as much as I can.

_Dragonblood_: I love Dm/Hg fics. too! And don't worry, I will never leave this story behind, I'm not like other writers, I will surely keep you informed on what happens next. Esp. if I get a lot of reviews...

x

Hey guys!! I actually really wanted to make this rather _unusual_ chapter.lol. I hope you enjoyed it!! The upcoming chapters will compose of hint hint less '_love_' between Draco and Hermione, than the others had. Please R and R!!! Toodles!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	9. Surprises

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hope you'll enjoy this chapter, not that long though. And be warned, lots of the parts in this chapter has the phrase: '...rolled his/her eyes'. Too much of it in fact, I just couldn't help myself...Eheheheheh!!

x

_**-Chapter 8: Surprises-**_

"What do you want Brown?" he asked irritably, as Lavender was getting closer.

"About our bet on H-"

"Shut up Brown" Draco said hastily as Hermione stepped out of the portrait.

"Huh?" Hermione turned her head "Oh, hey Lavender! What did you say about a bet?" she asked suspiciously.

"Uhh...w-we" Lavender stuttered. Draco glared at her again then faced Hermione.

"Don't tell anyone, okay Hermione?" Hermione still looked suspicious but then nodded. "I bet Brown here that Goyle could get Abbott into bed with him"

Hermione made a face.

'Eww...that is totally disgusting...and just plain wrong!"

"I know, and Goyle was just about to-" Hermione placed her hand in front of her face.

"Disgusting Draco, too much information, don't need to know more if you mind," she said as she started walking to where Lavender came. 'Hannah and G-Goyle?' she thought as she stuck out her tongue while walking.

'Good one, I'll just tell you later then' Lavender mouthed to Draco as she ran ahead of him and past Hermione.

x

"What is it you wanted to tell me about the bet?" Draco asked Lavender impatiently who was now accompanied by Parvati inside the library just by the door.

"Nothing, forget about what I said." Lavender replied "Anyway, Harry told me he wanted to tell you something about a book or something, I for one didn't believe it but he sounded serious, so I decided to just tell you. He said to meet him at the Room of Requirement after dinner."

Draco rolled his eyes and swiftly turned and walked out of the Library.

"How rude!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Shhhh!!" Madam Pince said from behind her, who was glaring at her direction.

"I told you, you shouldn't have bothered to tell him" Parvati said in a whisper.

Lavender rolled her eyes.

x

"Why is she doing this Harry?" Ron whispered to Harry who was across from him on the table.

"Uhh...because we had a fight?" Harry replied sounding sarcastic then rolled his eyes. Sometimes he just can't believe how daft his best friend gets sometimes.

Hermione was sitting beside Lavender and Parvati and across from Dean and Seamus, not too far from Harry and Ron, just enough to hear their conversation.

Harry shifted on his seat and leaned a little towards their direction.

"So Hermione, what's going on with you and Malfoy?" Parvati asked suspiciously.

Hermione blushed and poked her steak with a fork.

"Yeah Hermione, why are you hanging around with that Slytherin scum?" Lavender agreed.

"W-we're just friends that's all" Hermione replied as she blushed even harder.

"Right, and Dumbledore is my grandfather" Parvati said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

"That is possible you know" Hermione said hopefully.

"What's possible?" Seamus asked as he looked up from what he and Dean were looking at under the table.

"That Dumbledore could possibly be P-"

"Oh stop it Hermione," Lavender cut in "stop changing the subject. Now, tell us, why are you hanging around with the git?"

"Well, he is rather nice than before and-"

"Nice?" Parvati asked sounding unconvinced "Are you mad? Malfoy's only nice because of the way you look now, haven't you noticed that?" Lavender nodded.

"Malfoy?" Dean asked as he chucked a piece of his fish into his mouth. Hermione made a face looking disgusted.

'Ewwww!!!' Hermione screamed inside her head. It strongly – and unfortunately – reminded her of Noby and his moldy fish. She was vomiting in the inside...if that were possible.

"I don't know," Dean said as he continued chucking pieces of fish into his mouth "he seems different. He actually seems much more civilized than before, but of course I'm not saying he's nice or anything"

Hermione was still listening to him but can't help feeling sick.

"Yeah right, after we heard his plan on..." Parvati's voice trailed off as she glanced one look at Hermione then back at her food.

"Plan on what?" Hermione asked curiously.

"What plan?" Parvati asked innocently.

"I dunno, you just said a plan about Draco and-"

"Parvati!" Lavender suddenly exclaimed as she stood up "We have to go, you know the new dress I told you about? My mum just sent it in a while ago, c'mon!"

Lavender pulled Parvati from her seat as they jogged towards the oak doors and out to from the Great Hall, leaving a curious yet suspicious looking Hermione.

Both girls leaned back on the wall as they snickered uncontrollably.

"Good acting Parvati!" Lavender said as she started gasping for breath.

"You weren't bad yourself," Parvati replied also gasping for breath "it would have been obvious if you didn't speak up"

Lavender smiled, proud of herself. Parvati rolled her eyes.

"Well, I knew you were having trouble, and I really did get it a while ago, mum owled it to me"

Parvati grinned as both girls headed up the magical staircases.

x

"Potter!" Draco hissed as she poked his head inside the room "Are you in here?"

Draco entered the Room of Requirement fully now and walked around.

"Malfoy?" a voice said from the door.

"About time" Draco replied in a dull and impatient voice.

"Oh stop it, I saw you come in here just now" Harry replied snappily.

Draco shrugged and headed towards one of the desk chairs. He pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and used it to strike a wipe one the chair to see if it was dirty.

Seeing no dust, he sat himself down. Harry rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind him and started pacing in the room.

"Well? What do you want to tell me?"

"I really don't want to tell you this but, as I've been told by Hermione herself, she..." Harry's voice trailed off.

"Told you what?" Draco asked getting more impatient.

"Will you please be a bit patient about this?" Harry snapped as he stopped his pacing, "If you must know, I'm about to tell you something private and I'm not nor do I want to be a snitch, especially on my friends"

It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.

"Anyway," Harry started again as he glared at Draco "Hermione has a plan in store for you, I don't know what, but it has something to do with her being so nice to you"

Draco's eyebrows furrowed as he slowly looked down. He almost believed that maybe the girl started to like him, because he feels that he likes her too.

"But, there's something else." Harry started again. Draco looked up at him. "Hermione – unfortunately – sounded serious when she told Parvati and Lavender that you are..." Harry acted as if he was about to vomit "nice"

Draco smiled as he heard this piece of news, but then frowned.

"Patil and Brown? What do they have to do in any of this?" he asked suspiciously.

"How should I know? I just overheard them d-" Draco raised and eyebrow and Harry glared at him "fine, I was eavesdropping, not intentionally though, I happen to be close when they started talking about you. Parvati and Lavender was asking Hermione why she hangs out with you, that was when she said you were nice. But then Parvati said something about you having a plan for her"

"What plan?" Draco asked curiously as he stood up from his seat.

"How should I know? After that both of them ran out of the Great Hall and Hermione looked suspicious at what they said. It seemed like she was suspecting something, but I'm not sure"

Draco nodded and tapped a finger on his forehead repeatedly, thinking about what those two might have told Hermione. Then it clicked. Draco glared at the ground, then at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, but – I can't believe I'm saying this – errr...thanks" Harry sent him a suspicious look but nodded in return.

Draco then walked pass him towards the door frowning and looking ready to kill.

"Malfoy," Harry started again. Draco turned to look at him. "Remember our deal, bring Hermione back to me and Ron. You know as much as I do that I hate fighting with another person, especially if that person is or rather was my best friend"

"Don't worry Potter, let me figure out a few things first, then I'll convince Granger to kneel down in front of you, begging for your forgiveness" He said as he turned around once again and left through the door.

"Don't forget Malfoy, or else you'll regret it" Harry said warningly as he too went out of the room.

Both looked at each other and nodded at the same time, then left in opposite directions.

'I can't believe I just told him that, if Hermione ever finds out, I'm dead for sure' Harry thought regretfully until something came into his mind, and it involved a certain friend of his 'I think it's better if I tell him now rather than later, or else he'd get mad at me too' Harry smiled then ran to the direction of the Owlery.

'Patil and Brown will pay for this, if their going to play dirty, then so will I' Draco thought evilly as his frown turned into an evil smile.

'This ought to be good' Garnet told herself as she came out from one of the empty classroom across the Room of Requirement.

She had followed Harry when he separated from Ron in the Great Hall, and hid inside an empty classroom, which she left open slightly open in case she might hear anything in their conversation...but unfortunately, she didn't except for the short conversation they had when they came out of the room.

x

A few minutes later, somewhere in the castle... 

Hermione was walking down the corridor slowly, deep in thought.

'What the hell were they talking about?' Hermione was really disturbed by what Parvati said at the Great Hall 'I mean, surely they were just j-'

"Hey Hermione!" a voice said ahead of her, cutting off her thinking.

"Hello..." Hermione gave a small smile at a 7th year Ravenclaw who was looking her over from head to toe...and who she never even saw before.

'Ugghhh...what was it they were talking about?' Hermione thought, she was getting very irritated not knowing something that someone does.

"Hermione," another voice said but now came from behind her.

"Hello" Hermione replied absentmindedly without even looking back.

"Hermione," the voice said again, getting closer.

"Hi" Hermione replied absentmindedly again, still not looking back.

Then, a growl sounded in the corridor. This time, Hermione stopped, then turned around...but saw no one. She sent a suspicious looks around her, then turned back around, and was met by a surprising sight.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviewers yet again...

_Lothliana_: Lol!! Poor smelly fishy...I hate eating fish!! But I do enjoy fishing, I go fishing every summer with my cousins since I was 8 or was it 9? Either way, I first thought about the smelly part, and when it comes to stenches, I hate the smell of fish, dead or not dead, plus Noby is a pirate, so I decided on the fish as the smelly thing...Eheheheh!!

_dramaqueen72_: Honestly, I was planning on it to be Harry, but my mind had other decisions, so I decided it to be Lavender instead.

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Oooohhhh...lolly and chocolate!! Am not that sick anymore, but thanks for your concern!! I still am, but my fever is gone, only cough and colds which is getting lesser every minute.

_Lover del Dragon_: Thank you!! Glad you think so...

_Xxkayleighxx_: Will update as much as I can...so far I updated everyday!

_kerry_: Umm...thanks!! (if you meant 'wow!' to be good.lol)

_funny love_: I was watching my DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean, and I wanted something related to I, in the story. So, decided it to be a house elf since I can't make it as a real pirate and half wizard/witch...that would just be wrong.lol

_blonk_: Thank you very much!!

x

Hi!!! Hope you liked this very short chapter...the last one was longer because I wrote it early yesterday, which was a Sunday. So, more time to write it, but today is Monday and we have an exam tomorrow for Chemistry and I haven't studied yet!! And it's almost 8:30...so, must keep this short. And since it is short, decided to put up another cliffie. I kinda enjoy doing it...Eheheheh!! Please, Read and Review!! Toodles!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	10. Padfoot and Chess Sets

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

This isn't much because I had a few distractions while I was writing this a while ago, but I hope you'll still like it. Read on!!

x

_**-Chapter 9: Padfoot and Chess Sets-**_

"Y-you? What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, very much surprised that she stuttered a bit.

The shaggy black dog growled again, but not it a vicious manner, it was just...growling.

Hermione kneeled down in front of it, as it too sat down.

"Why are you here?"

The dog stood up and barked then turned around in circles in a playful manner, as Hermione just stared giving it a weird look.

"Huh?"

Since it can't bite Hermione's clothes, because she was wearing a miniskirt and a baby tee top, the dog went behind her and pushed her by her legs using its head.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Hermione said as she started moving forward "Where are we going?"

The dog continued pushing her down the corridor then abruptly stopped. Hermione looked back and saw it now sitting on the floor, wagging its tail with its tongue out, breathing in and out. Hermione raised an eyebrow. It barked. Hermione jumped a little in shock then turned back in front of her.

"Alright fine" Hermione said as she opened the door in front of her, which led to an empty classroom.

The dog went in first, wagging its tail. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed.

"Why are you here Sirius?" Hermione repeated as she turned around to close the door behind her.

She turned back around and saw him in his human form, sitting on a chair.

"Hermione," he started "Harry owled me not a half hour ago. HE told me to come here and talk to you. I don't know why though, all he wrote in the note was 'Come to Hogwarts, I need you to talk to Hermione'. I was at the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade when I got the letter, so, I just came. I planned on seeing him first, but I spotted you down the corridor. Well, at first I didn't know it was you, but when that boy said your name, so there"

He smiled and Hermione walked forward a little and looked down, she knew Harry must've owled him, or else he wouldn't have a reason to come. But he obviously doesn't know and she decided to keep it that way as long as she can, or at least later rather than now. She breathed in deeply and looked back up to him. Sirius really has changed after the war, specifically his appearance. He wasn't that thin anymore, and his hair isn't that shaggy either. All in all, he couldn't have looked better than before.

Hermione smiled, she was happy for him. All his years in Azkaban, years of hiding, was finally paid off. Ever since the ministry let one of the Death Eaters take Veritaserum and asked if he ever was a servant of Voldemort and said that he isn't and never was, they think this was quite enough to prove that he had always been innocent. Plus, he had also helped during the war, he killed a lot of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters most of which were in his inner circle.

When the wizarding world found out about this, he instantly became famous, especially amongst the kids and teenagers, that's why he still transforms into a dog frequently when there are crowds since nobody but the members of the Order of the Phoenix know that he's an Animagus. The main reason of this – as Hermione, Harry and Ron thinks – is that because he was the Potter's best friend, he was the first to escape from Azkaban, and because he had been awarded a 1st class Order of Merlin after the war for his services for the entire wizarding world.

"Hermione?" Sirius asked curiously.

"H-huh? Oh, s-sorry" Hermione looked down again feeling embarrassed. She must've looked weird staring and grinning at him for a time. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing important, only to ask you what's happening around in the castle and that why Harry asked me to talk to you" he replied as he reached into his pocket, feeling for something in it.

"Umm...why don't you talk to Harry first? I-I mean he was the one w-" she stopped as Sirius was now fumbling the tie on a little plastic bag, which contained different colors of beans.

He looked up then grinned.

"It's Bertty Botts Every Flavor Beans, the box was torn when I carried it in my mouth when I walked coming here...want one?" Hermione gave him a weird look but smiled then shook her head.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders and started back on the bag.

"Go on, I'm listening"

"Err...well, I think that you should talk to Harry first, maybe he wants to tell you something important before he wants you to talk to me" Hermione said uncomfortably.

Sirius sighed and threw the bag to the door making a slamming sound - obviously getting irritated – as he crossed his arms. He glared at the back as if it were evil. He scratched his head and looked back at Hermione, then smiled.

"Well, if you say so" he said as he stood up and looked around the room. He re placed his hand back in his pocket and pulled out his wand "I'll just call on you later"

He smiled at her as he waved his wand and the chair disappeared. He then walked pass her and bent down to pick up the bag he threw.

"I'll see you soon Hermione"

"Okay," Hermione replied as Sirius now walked out the door and turned right.

Hermione sighed then her head snapped up. She then ran out the door, catching Sirius – who is now in his Animagus form - just before he turned another corner.

"Sirius!" the shaggy black dog turned its head, now facing her "Just, don't come to conclusions to whatever Harry tells you, okay?"

The dog – if possible – looked curious at this statement, but nodded in return. Hermione smiled then turned to walk the opposite way.

x

"Where were you?" Draco asked as Hermione entered their bedroom.

"Why do you ask?" she asked right back.

"Can I help it if I was worried?"

"Now I know that the world really has gone mad," she said as she flopped on her bed.

"What?" he asked incredulously.

"Nothing," she said dully as she pushed herself up from her bed "I'm taking a shower"

Draco looked at her half suspicious, half worried as Hermione slowly made her way out the door and into bathroom.

x

Meanwhile, in the other side of the castle... 

"Ron, could you get that?" Harry asked the red head, not looking up from his book, they were the only ones in the 6th year boy's dormitory at the moment.

"Sorry Harry, I wish I can but I can't. I'm tied up" Ron replied said indistinctly.

Harry looked up from his read. Ron was on his bed waving his wand in front of his chess set and saying nonsense spells – which Harry never heard of before – and then whacking his wand on it. He rolled his eyes, he had been doing this ever since they came from the Great Hall. Although his attempts on making his chess set play against him was futile.

Another knock came from the door.

"Oh fine, I'll go get it" Harry got up from his four-poster bed and walked to the door. He slowly opened it and his eyes grew with shock and delight "Sirius!" he exclaimed.

Harry moved forward and hugged his godfather. They last saw each other on the 1st of September, and it was only the 3rd of September, but Harry still missed him. After the war, which started and ended during the half of his summer, he had been staying with Sirius in Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It was better living there than how it used to be especially when they spent much time cleaning it during the summer of their 4th year.

The Dursleys were absolutely filled with joy when they found out that Harry wouldn't be coming back, they even sent him a good-bye card together with a pack of toothpicks – better than a a string of floss which they gave him for before.

"Harry!" Sirius exclaimed just the same.

"Hey Sirius!" Ron said from behind Harry, who was still waving his wand around.

Sirius looked at Ron then sent a curious look at his godson.

"Ron is trying to make his chess set same as Professor Lupin's. He just played with his chess before dinner and is utterly jealous"

Ron looked up and glared at Harry.

"Remus' chess set?" Sirius asked as he looked up, looking like he was trying to remember something – which he actually was currently trying to do.

He suddenly snapped his fingers.

"I remember now, James and I charmed the chess set we gave him for his birthday a year before James married Lily...I can't believe he still has it until now" Sirius said thoughtfully.

"What? You mean, _you_ enchanted his chess set?" Ron asked disbelieving.

Sirius gave him a questioning and weird look but slowly nodded.

"Yes!!" Ron exclaimed all of a sudden "My savior!" he exclaimed again as he knelt down on the floor raising his hands and lowering them repeatedly like he was worshipping.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Harry.

'He's really desperate' Harry mouthed to him. Sirius nodded and looked back down at the redhead.

"I'll charm it later Ron, okay?" Ron grinned and stood up then headed for his bed. He took his chess set and set it on the nightstand beside his bed. He fixed his quilt and abruptly dropped down on top of it and started snoring.

Sirius continued looking at him then shook his head. He then turned to look at Harry.

"So Harry, what's the matter? Why did you let me come here?" he asked as he sat himself on Seamus' bed, which was the closest to him.

"It's Hermione, she-"

"Oh yeah, I spoke to her a while ago," Sirius cut in "all she told me is that I should talk to you first. So, what is this all about?"

"It's Hermione, I talked to Professor Lupin about this but he thinks differently from me and Ron. Anyway, on the first day, Hermione told me and Ron that..."

x

Hermione walked outside the bathroom wearing a crimson bathrobe while wiping her hair with a crimson towel, feeling refreshed. She stepped inside the bedroom to see no one.

"Draco?" she called out to his side of the room with was – obviously – empty "Draco?" she repeated but still found no answer.

She stayed on her spot by the door, continuing on wiping her hair until someone's arms –which she doesn't doubt one bit - wrapped her around her waist.

"Draco, what are you doing?" she asked coolly, as she stopped wiping her hair.

"Taking in your fragrance?" Draco replied innocently as he smelled Hermione's hair from behind.

"Really?" she asked as she turned around to face him.

He nodded. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, as their discussion with Parvati and Lavender just came back into her mind.

"Your up to something aren't you?" she asked suspiciously.

"What made you think that?"

"Nothing," Hermione said with a sigh as she took Draco's arms away from her waist "I'm going to bed, classes start tomorrow you know"

As Hermione went to her bed, Draco grabbed the drape that divided their room and pulled it to the other end, now completely covering each other from view. He then walked back to his bed, glaring at everything.

"Patil, Brown, wait until I get me vengeance on you" Draco threatened to himself, not meaning to say it aloud.

"What did you say Draco?" Hermione called out.

"Nothing, go to sleep Hermione" he called back in a polite tone.

x

"I better go Harry, don't worry, I'll talk to her if I have the chance. It's getting late," Sirius glanced at his wrist watch "and since I'm here now, I guess I'll go pay Remus a visit, maybe even stay here at Hogwarts for a while too, I'll go ask Dumbledore later"

Harry grinned then nodded. Sirius smiled equally back at him then ruffled his godson's hair more than it usually did.

"I'll be off now, as what I've heard, your classes start tomorrow, and its nearly 10 o'clock, so of to bed you go. Your other friends may be coming now, so I better leave"

Sirius stood up from Seamus' bed and stretched.

"I'll see you around Harry," he paused "and be good in your classes" said jokingly.

"Like I will," Harry replied.

One of the things he likes about Sirius is that, even though he's older than Harry, he doesn't act like any of the adults. He's still as mischievous and blithe like he used to be when he was young.

"Bye now" Sirius said as he headed towards the door.

Harry waved and closed the door. He moved towards his bed and flopped down on it, then gave a long sigh.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviews!!!

_midnite-goddess_: (For chapter 8, page 9) This is and will be a Dm/Hg fic. I will never change that. This fic. will turn out very long, so for now, their romance bit isn't that obvious. I will always update, and won't ever stop (until the ending that is...lol)

_Lover Del Dragon_: Thanks!! I'll try to check it out if I can, but I have less time now because of school (only have time to write), but I will surely try!!

_kk_: I Read the past chapters thoroughly, you'll know. She's the 'mystery girl', I now call her Garnet since I won't be revealing who she really is until later.

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Thanks for the lollie and the compliment!!lol. I write a new chapter every night after I see the reviews from the last one, that's why I have to do it so fast so I can post everyday. I try my best to write as fast as I can and at the same time trying to keep it good...so far, my way is doing good, so I'll try to keep up.

_dramaqueen72_: I think it wasn't that obvious that it was Sirius, but I placed the word 'growling' and Harry's last thought as a hint for you all. I was supposed to replace growl with bark, but it would be VERY obvious if I did. So, decided against it.

_Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot_: Glad I brought you to the edge of your seat. I hope you enjoy this one...and for your review on the 7th chapter (page 8), your right, I made it Malfoy instead of any other name because I know most of the students call him that.

_winterytwinkle_: Mare!!! Eheheheheh!! Okay ra d.i?? And, Michael is different baya from the story to the real thing. Actually, only the name is the same...Eheheheheh!!!

_crazee_: Thank you!! And I did and will...

x

Hey guys, hope you liked this ion. Padfoot returns!!! Weeee....lol. I can't help myself, anyway, this isn't that ong either, but I was talking to a friend of mine (winterytwinkle) through YIM, she distracted me from my writing, so, I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't give much!! Read and Review. Bye now!!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	11. Sparks

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Sorry again for not updating yesterday! Anyway, his chapter is a bit weird. Eheheheh!! Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 10: Sparks-**_

Hermione walked down the corridor to the Great hall yawning widely, together with the other prefects.

"You still tired?" Draco asked, who was walking beside her.

"A bit, yeah" Hermione replied sleepily.

They were a bit early for breakfast, but they figured they should set an example for the other students – or so Hermione suggested.

"I still don't see the point why you want us to wake up this early Hermione" Padma said yawning widely along with Ernie who was walking slowly beside her, he looked as if he was sleep walking, his eyes were half open and his head keep on hanging down. "I mean, I can understand early, but a half hour early? Your mad!"

Hannah and Dean, who were in front of the group, both stopped and nodded at this statement.

"Oh don't complain," Lisa spoke up "besides, Hermione's intentions were purely of significant"

Stuart glanced at the Slytherin shocked then furrowed his eyebrows.

'Traitor' he mouthed to her as Lisa hit him playfully by the stomach in return.

The group was getting along quite well, even though they were from different houses. They were only in Hogwarts for two days and they already started becoming friends – with an exception with Ernie to Hermione and Draco. Both still held a grudge against him because of the little incident they encountered, but both did start to lighten up from it.

"Look, we're prefects. It's only right that we should show the other students that we do our job seriously" Hermione said proudly "Plus, make the professors impressed by what we do" she added, grinning sneakily.

Draco rolled his eyes. He knew there was something devious behind that knowledgeable mind of hers.

They were now in front of the oak doors, and they stopped and waited for Padma and Ernie, who were taking there time walking down the corridor, to catch up.

As they arrived, Padma hit Ernie by the arm, and his head snapped up. The girls giggled and the guys rolled their eyes. Dean and Stuart then pushed open the oak doors, revealing the head table already filled with their teachers and the four house tables occupied with shuffling house elves.

Everyone in the hall looked up at the prefects.

"Err...hi" Hermione said unsurely as she continued watching the house elves scrubbing the tables clean.

"Prefects," Dumbledore said in a bemused tone "glad to see you eight to be the first ones up"

They all grinned sheepishly as a few of the professors eyed them suspiciously and as some of them sent them surprised and pleased looks.

"Well headmaster, we all thought that it would be appropriate that we get up early so we can show a good example to our other fellow students" Draco said in an oh-so-fake-innocent voice.

He looked back at the other prefects, and they nodded in agreement, except for one. Hermione looked at the blonde and raised an eyebrow. Draco looked at her then smirked. She rolled her eyes and started walking down the hall, towards the middle part of the Gryffindor table. Dean followed her as the other prefects walked down to their respective tables.

"Well then, your intentions are as good as it can be, 10 points to each of the houses" Dumbledore said, proud of his students "and," he added "5 points to Gryffindor, for I believe that this is all Ms. Granger's thoughtful idea"

Dumbledore looked over at the Gryffindor table, were a grinning and smug looking Hermione now sat. She turned her head to look over at Draco, who was already glaring at her. She stuck out her tongue at him childishly.

"5 points from Gryffindor for that childish remark Ms. Granger" Snape, who was reading the Daily Prophet, said coolly from the head table without taking his eye off the paper.

Dumbledore looked over at him with a bemused expression on his face.

Hermione stopped and looked over at the potions master, appalled. Draco smirked at this and stuck his tongue at her too.

"And 5 points from Slytherin for that same childish remark Mr. Malfoy" McGonagall said as she looked up from her copy of the Daily Prophet and smirked at the direction of Snape.

Dumbledore gave McGonagall the same expression as with Snape.

Snape looked up and raised an eyebrow at her direction.

All the prefects were sending them weird looks.

"There's only 15 minutes left until breakfast, some of the students should be here by now" Dean said as he pulled up the sleeve of his robes and looked at his wrist watch.

Hermione nodded as she looked over at the oak doors. It was then that the doors were slowly being opened by someone from the outside, and was also then that the house elves suddenly disappeared.

Owen and Sandi walked in slowly. Owen still looked sleepy but Sandi looked like she could fly around the Quidditch pitch at top speed right then and there as she wore a huge grin on her face.

"She looks overly perky today," Hannah muttered to Ernie then snickered "Right Ernie?"

There was silence as Hannah continued to snicker. Her snickering lowered then stopped as she looked over to her fellow prefect beside her...sleeping.

"Ernie!" she shouted and punched him lightly by the arm.

"Yes mum?!" he asked in a shout as his head snapped from the table. He looked around then started dozing off even while sitting right up.

Hannah rolled her eyes and poked him by the cheeks with her finger.

"I'll do it later mum" he muttered unconsciously.

"Ernie, it's Hermione, I have to tell you something" Hannah said, imitating Hermione's voice.

"Hermione!" Ernie exclaimed.

Everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing and looked over at the Hufflepuff.

"What is it Ernie?" Hermione asked from the next table to his.

Ernie rubbed his eyes and looked towards her, then glanced behind him. Hannah was laughing hard and was now clutching her stomach from the pain of her continuous laughter.

"I hate you" Ernie said plainly then shook his head to Hermione's direction. He turned back to Hannah then glared at her.

x

"Students!" McGonagall shouted over the noise of the now filled Great Hall to get their attention.

The noise lessened and Dumbledore slowly stood up from his chair.

"Students, good morning. Today, as all of you may know is the first day of classes. I would like to say good luck on your classes. We also have new professors aboard Hogwarts"

The students were quiet, some of them already knew who it was.

"Filling in for Defense Against the Dark Arts class is Mr. Remus Lupin, who has been kind enough to take back his position"

The students applauded, most of which coming from the Gryffindor table.

Lupin stood up from his seat and bowed his head lightly then sat back down.

"And, as another treat" he started again which surprised everyone inside the hall "we have a new class installed to the school curriculum"

Everyone groaned at this but didn't quite show it because they were too surprised at this announcement, even the teachers. Obviously, they didn't have any idea on what Dumbledore was about to announce.

"The new professor who will we in charge for the new Activates class will be,"

Everyone were wondering what they would do in 'Activates' but they didn't bother asking anyone else because everyone else were as clueless as the other, even the teachers, plus, they were at the edge of their seats as to who will be teaching the class...they wouldn't want a teacher like Umbridge, that's for sure.

"Mr. Sirius Black" a huge black dog walked under the table to the front of the head table. It sat down on the floor, barked, wagged it's tail playfully then bowed it's head.

Everyone was quiet...and confused.

"What the heck is he doing?" Ron whispered to Harry from across the table, who was in shock.

'What the heck is he trying to do?' Harry asked himself 'He knows that nobody knows that he's an Animagus'

Harry stood up halfway, trying to catch the dog's attention. The dog looked his way and Harry made hand gestures telling it to go back.

The dog – if possible – looked frantic, then abruptly stood up, then walked back under the table and into the open door behind the head table.

Everyone were now whispering with each other at the odd sight they just saw, until the door behind the head table opened yet again, revealing a man in his 30's.

As the students saw this, silence filled the hall yet again.

"Errr...hey everyone!" Sirius replied sheepishly.

Silence still filled the hall until...

"Sirius Black!" a Ravenclaw 3rd year exclaimed as he stood up from his seat. Everyone looked at him and gave him weird looks. He blushed and looked down then sat back down.

Everyone looked back at the head table, then applause and howls erupted, except for a few Slytherins.

Sirius bowed at the students, he knew people had started to consider him as harmless since the war, but he never expected this.

"Err...sorry about earlier, my dog, he umm...decided to take my place"

Everyone but the same few Slytherins laughed at this and applauded once more as Sirius mad his way to his seat next to Lupin.

"Nice entrance" Lupin whispered to him, who only grinned in return.

x

After breakfast, all the 6th year students stayed behind in the Great Hall. They were to have Activates class first, and since their schedules indicated that it was to be held in the Great Hall.

"Students," Sirius started "glad to see you all"

Pansy – shockingly – raised her hand.

"Professor, why is the class in the Great Hall? And why do we have classes with the rest of the 3 houses?" she asked with her high-pitched voice in a very annoyed tone.

"Well Parkinson," Sirius replied in a rather irritated tone.

Harry sent him a warning look. Sirius dislike the Slytherins because of their parents, because they were Death Eaters, but that didn't mean that Sirius should take it all on their children, even though they were much like their parents.

Pansy looked shock at his reply.

"Err...I mean," Sirius cleared his throat "miss Parkinson, this class has no permanent classroom as of now, mainly because this class is new, and also because there isn't a classroom big enough to fit all of you" he said as he looked around at the students. "As for your second question, it is because of Dumbledore's new project, all of your classes as you may see, will be with held together with other houses in your year"

All of the 6th years took out their class schedules, which was handed to them during breakfast, and compared it with the other houses. Indeed, all of them had exactly the same classes each day.

"Okay now, students put away your class schedules and listen here. As none of you may know, Activates class will be a class that will hold various activities"

The students nodded their head as Sirius talked which made him smile, knowing that the students were actually interested.

"There will be activities like, drama which will contain plays"

The girls giggled at this and the boys rolled their eyes.

"Sports, where in each house will play quidditch against each other, to make sure everyone will at least try playing the game instead of the original house team"

The guys high-fived and it was the girls' turn to roll their eyes.

"Dancing and singing, where in you will perform maybe in groups, trios or pairs, and which by the way, I myself won't be teaching alone"

A few nodded and a few made grossed faces, thinking that the idea was absurd.

"Of course, that is what I have planned for now, there will be more to be announced as this class goes on. Now, for the first two months, we will be working with drama"

The girls giggled yet again.

"Yes, yes...we will be doing a play on '_The Princess Diaries_'."

Most of the students haven't heard of it, but some did, like Hermione, Dean and Lavender.

"Oohhh!" Hermione and Lavender said in unison sounding excited.

"Okay cool," said Dean, emotionless.

"What's that?" Ron asked aloud.

"It, Ron, is a muggle movie," Sirius said smiling at the redhead "you lot were supposed to have Romeo and Juliet"

Some, who knew what Romeo and Juliet, groaned at this, most of them would have wanted to have a romantic play, rather than an unknown-princess thing.

"Why couldn't we have had that instead?" Susan asked aloud.

"Well miss..."

"Susan Bones"

"Well miss Bones," Sirius started again "I gave it to the 5th years. 1st and 2nd years are not to have plays, 3rd years are to have _Beauty and the Beast_, 4th years are to have _The Sleeping Beauty_, 5th years are to have _Romeo and Juliet_, and 7th years are to have _A Midsummer's Night Dream_. Plus, because of some certain events, I decided that '_The Princess Diaries_' would fit your batch perfectly."

He eyed Hermione for a while as he said this, then glanced at Harry and gave him a little wink.

Harry sent him a wondering look. He had seen this movie before, and it involved a princess who falls in love for the wrong guy. At first, she likes the good looking guy named Josh Ryan, but later goes for her closer friend, Michael, because she realizes that you can't only count on the looks but the personality too. Harry thought about this for a while, and then suddenly grinned widely. Now he understood. Sirius is going to make Hermione the princess, and Draco would probably be Josh once he finds out about her and Draco.

"Now, here are the parts, each of you would have to audition for a part – yes Mr. Longbottom even you" he said over to Neville who was shuddering "and I will then choose who will be the best in his or her character, and there will be a final presentation in front of the whole school probably by October or later and you will be saying your lines today. I decided it be better if we get a move on, on who plays who"

Sirius took out his wand and waved it. A table appeared in the middle of him and the students. He waved it again and piles of stacked different colored parchments now filled it.

"Now, here are the list of characters and their position in the story, I will be giving their backgrounds if you get the part. Amelia or Mia, she is or the to be princess, Lily, Mia's best friend, Michael, Lily's brother and Mia's close friends he also has a..."

x

During the auditions... 

Ron glanced over at Hermione, who was beside Draco – as usual. She was holding pink parchment.

'She's auditioning for the princess' Ron thought. He was holding a green parchment which had the label 'Michael' at the top of a few lines.

"Harry, why did you get me this part? Sirius said that this guy's one of the main characters"

"Yeah, so?"

"If you must know, which you already do, I can't memorize long stuff"

"Don't worry, I'm also auditioning for him, and so are a lot of guys. The chances of you getting picked are from 1 to a zillion"

"I'd take that as a compliment, even though it wasn't"

Harry grinned as Ron rolled his eyes.

x

After the auditions... 

"Now," Sirius started "the following will be in the play" he waved his wand and a parchment appeared in front of them, revealing the list of who plays who.

Harry stopped reading the list as he saw Ron's name. He grinned and started jumping together with the others who got parts. He looked at Ron, who was behind him and was grinning like mad.

"Ron, you got the part of Michael!" Harry exclaimed.

"I know," his face starting to become pink.

"And Hermione's got the part of the princess!" Harry exclaimed yet again.

"I know," Ron said again his face going to a red color.

"And you get to kiss her in the play" Harry whispered to him.

Ron's face lost all color, he was as white as Nearly Headless Nick.

"You love her don't you?" Harry asked suspiciously.

Ron regained his reddish-pink color then glared at him.

"I do not! Maybe it's you who love her. You're making absurd conclusions Harry" Ron said defiantly as he crossed his arms, his ears turning red, "It's just totally impossible. Hu!" he snorted "Hermione and me? Yeah right, that'll be the day"

Harry raised an eyebrow and gave him a look.

"What are you staring at me for?" the redhead retorted.

"You're being a bit defensive for a little statement are you? If I would've known, you really do love her!"

"No I don't!" Ron shouted annoyingly.

Harry snickered at Ron, whose face was now as pure red as his hair. A few people around them were now turning to look at the aggravated red faced, redhead.

"Oh admit it Ron, you love Hermione. The look on your face when you first saw her on the platform and during dinner on the first day gave it all away" Harry whispered to his ear as he turned and jogged towards his godfather.

x

Flashback on the auditions... 

x

Reviewers!!

_Lothliana, shexy-cleva-yollop, Lover del Dragon, xxkayleighxx, dramaqueen72, kk, lhearttomfelton, clarissa, and dragonblood_: Thank you for the reviews!! Sorry for not commenting on each of your reviews but I have to go now...my dad might kill me if he catches me on the internet this late...thanks anyway! I might've not commented but I did read it...Eheheheh!! Thanks again!! Keep reviewing!!

x

Hey guys!! I will show you the flashback on the next chapter. This chapter is very confusing, I know, but I will give in more detail about the play thingy tomorrow, on the next chapter. I have to go now because it's almost midnight and my dad might check up on me, I still have classes tomorrow. And sorry I didn't get to reply on your reviews, I'm in a hurry, bye now!! R & R!!!!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	12. One Second Spark

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey Guys!! I'm so sorry for not updating for like 4 or 5 days now? I really am!! I've been busy to be truthful...my head's mixed up with school stuff, and my sickness which I still have (but only less than before). I hope you guys will forgive me!! I might not be able to update everyday like before, but I'll try to make sure I update within 2 or 3 days. Anyway, this chapter is rather short (I still have to do an assignment after this) so please don't kill me!!lol. Again, I'm really sorry. Read on!!

x

_**-Chapter 11:One Second Spark-**_

Flashback on the auditions... 

"Lily stop it!" Hermione said rather loudly as she glanced at her script, in front of the other students and with Sirius "Just because your hair sucks, lay off mine!"

Parvati looked shocked.

"See this?" she said as she took hold of her bracelet all the while reading her lines too "This is your charm and I'm gonna –"

Sirius clapped his hands together.

Hermione and Parvati, along with the other students look over to him.

"Brilliant, absolutely fabulous!"

Hermione and Parvati grinned sheepishly and walked back towards the group and sat down.

"Okay, that was great! I expect to see everyone else perform as the duo just did. Now,"

Sirius looked through his parchment, running his fingers down the list written on it.

"Ron!" Sirius exclaimed as he looked at the red head beside his godson "How 'bout you? Your trying out for Michael, am I correct?"

Ron nodded his head.

"Okay, you will be playing the scene during the final ball, until the part where Michael kisses the princess"

"Excuse me?" Ron said disbelieving what he had heard.

"You heard me," Sirius said grinning at him "and since we need a princess, and so far Hermione has been playing very well with it, you will be doing it with her"

"Doing what?" Ron almost shouted in a shocked voice.

The rest of the students looked at him as if he grew another nose on his forehead.

"Err...right, t-the scene you mean," he said hastily seeing the looks he received. He slowly stood up from his seat and cleared his throat "right, o-okay then"

Hermione stood up as well, as she followed him back to the front of the class.

x

So far, both Hermione and Ron were acting marvelously. Harry couldn't believe Ron could act that well, especially on a play he had never even seen and heard of.

And not only Harry had noticed this, but also a certain blonde Slytherin.

'This can't be real' Draco thought to himself as he watched the duo proceed to the scene in the garden 'Is this Weasley?'

"Why me?" Ron said aloud, script at hand.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened. It's just that I..." Hermione's voice trailed off as Ron placed his hand on her cheek.

'Aren't we done with the scene yet? This is getting awkward' Ron thought to himself as he slowly leaned forward towards Hermione. He breathed in 'I never knew Hermione smelled this good'

'Oh my god! Ron's totally gonna kiss me, for real!' Hermione shouted in her thoughts 'yes! Total revenge on Draco, plus, this would only look like acting for them'

Hermione grinned and giggled to herself in the inside, as she too leaned in closer to him as well. Now they were only about five inches apart.

'Why is Sirius not telling us to stop?' Ron thought, still leaning in on her slowly.

Four inches apart.

'Why is everyone so quiet?' Hermione thought in wonder.

Three inches apart.

'Are we really going to do this?' Ron thought nervously.

'What the hell?' Draco thought furiously.

Two inches apart.

'He's actually doing this!' Hermione screamed to herself.

'Go Ron!' Harry said grinning madly on his seat.

One inch apart.

'This is it' both thought finally to themselves.

Hermione slowly shut her eyes and tilted her head to the left, and so did Ron but to his right. Their lips touched for a about a second and...

"Eeekkkk!!!!!!!!" a familiar girly voice yelled from the rather fascinated crowd.

Ron and Hermione opened their eyes and pulled away then looked down.

Everyone then turned to look at the shrieking girl, including Sirius. The duo looked at each other for one more second and snapped their heads to the freaked out Slytherin.

"What is it?" Sirius said as he stood up.

"A-a..." Pansy tried to stutter out.

"A what miss Parkinson?"

"A beetle!" Pansy wailed and shuddered as she dug her head in Millicent's robes "It almost touched me!"

Everyone rolled their eyes, causing Ron and Hermione to look at each other. Ron turned as red as his hair, and Hermione's cheeks became a pale pink.

'What the heck was that?' Ron and Hermione thought to themselves.

Ron bit his lip as Hermione touched hers. They definitely felt a one second spark during that unclear kiss – if you can call it a kiss.

'What the bloody hell was that?' Draco screamed in his head as he kept his gaze on the two, glaring at what they were doing.

"Next time miss Parkinson, keep your petty worries to yourself." Sirius said irritably "Now, Ron, Hermione? Good job both of you! You really brought me in with your performance, really nice work! Okay, back to your seats now"

Ron started back towards his seat. Hermione was about to follow him, until Sirius spoke yet again.

"Wait, stay there for a while Hermione" Hermione took back her foot and stood back on her spot "Hmm..."

Sirius ran his finger down his list of names on the parchment. He stopped his finger, and looked up. He looked around the students and his gaze landed on his godson who was looking over at his red head best friend, he grinned evilly.

"Harry" he said plainly and his godson's head snapped at his direction.

"Huh?" Harry asked wonderingly.

Sirius grinned and nodded his head over to Hermione.

"M-me?" he stuttered.

"Know any other Harry?" Sirius asked as he made his way towards him.

"Well, there was that 2nd year I met during the party, he was rather-" he stopped as his godfather bent down nearing his ear.

"Afraid? You faced Voldemort and you can't even face your _female_ best friend?" Sirius whispered, quoting on '_female_'.

He slowly stood back up properly to be met by his godson's appalled expression. He grinned evilly at him once again. Harry stuck out his tongue at him and walked towards the front of the class, nose held high, looking rather like Hermione.

Ron grinned at him as he passed by.

Harry stopped in front of Hermione, looking rather bored.

Sirius looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay now, Harry, you shall be doing only one part of one scene"

Harry smirked smugly at this and looked over at Ron who looked revolted at this announcement.

'Good' Harry thought.

'Special treatment' Ron, Hermione, Draco and the rest of the class thought.

"You shall be doing the part where Michael and Mia kiss, and that should do it" Sirius smiled as he sat back down.

Harry's jaw dropped.

"What?"

Sirius grinned and the whole class – if possible – smirked at him, with the exception of Hermione who was looking down, cheeks turning pink again. Sirius nodded his head, and Harry glared at him as he glanced at Hermione and looked down on his lines on his script.

"Why me?" he said in a rather harsh way as he kept stealing glances at his godfather who still looked smug.

"Look, I'm sorry for..."

x

"That was embarrassing!" Harry said in a low scream as he sat back beside Ron and Sirius was now writing something on a piece of parchment.

Ron smirked at him and crossed his arms.

"Your was better than mine! Mine was longer and I had to do the kissing scene, and you didn't even kiss her at all!"

"She's my best friend, why would I? I'm not like you"

"Yeah, it was- what do you mean like me?"

"You kissed her, others might've not noticed because of that Parkinslut but I did," Harry looked at Ron and grinned, "though it was less than a second, it was still something"

Ron stuck out his tongue at him.

"Can you two stop it? You both are so immature" Padma said from behind them.

Both turned to look at her, then glanced at each other. Like reading each other's thoughts, they turned back to her and stuck their tongue at her together.

Padma rolled her eyes and looked over at Sirius who now got to his feet and headed to the front of the class.

"There will be a list as who will be taking part in the presentation"

The girls held their hand together, hoping to get the character they wanted.

"Now," Sirius started "the following will be in the play" he waved his wand and a parchment appeared in front of them, revealing the list of who plays who.

The Princess Diaries

Princess Mia – Hermione Granger

Queen Clarice – Hannah Abbott

Mia's mother – Padma Patil

Lily – Parvati Patil

Lana – Pansy Parkinson

Ana – Seamus Finnegan

Fontana – Dean Thomas

Josh Ryan – Draco Malfoy

Michael – Ron Weasley

Next-door neighbor – Ernie McMillan

Joe (Queen Clarice's body guard/Mia's personal driver) – Harry Potter

Charlotte – Lisa Gerents

Principal – Lavender Brown

P.E. teacher – Susan Bones

Background students - ...

...

Costumes coordinators – Millicent Bulstrode, Justin Finch-Fletchy, Lavender Brown...

Background designers – Neville Longbottom, Stuart Jenkins, Susan Bones, Blaise Zabini...

End of flashback... 

x

"Okay, now you all know your parts on the play, any questions?"

Seamus and Dean's hand shot up.

"Yes?" Sirius asked the two.

"Err- professor, are you sure that list is correct?" Seamus asked as he stood up.

"I'm pretty sure, why do you ask?"

"Well, you see professor" Dean started and stood up himself "Seamus and I got girl parts, is that umm...right?"

Sirius gave a hearty laugh. Both looked at him as if he were mad. Sirius' laugh died down and he looked back at the two boys.

"Yes it is right" Both boys looked horrified.

"What do you mean?" they asked in unison.

"I thought it could put a bit of a laugh for the audience when they see it, nice touch. Don't you think?"

Seamus and Dean sat down and glared at the floor as the class started to snicker.

"Anyway, no other question?"

Seeing no hands were raised, Sirius stood up and checked his watch.

"Okay, class dismissed" then the bell rang at that precise moment.

x

"That was a long class wasn't it?" Ron told Harry as they made their way to the dungeons together with the Slytherins as the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs made their way up the stairs to Transfiguration.

"Well, we only have it twice a week, Mondays and Fridays" Harry replied as he grumpily stomped his foot each step he took.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, we have Potions right after Activates"

"So?" Ron asked who had no idea as to where Harry was going to.

"Think about it, every Monday, our day will start off great and exciting then ends up bad and boring, all thanks to the git" Harry sighed and looked down.

"Yeah, the greasy git" Ron nodded.

"Greasy git" a voice said from behind them.

Both boys gulped and slowly looked behind them. It was the greasy git himself, and he didn't look happy – well, he never did actually but his frown was much evident now than the usual times they saw him. Obviously, he didn't like Sirius teaching the same school as he nor did he like his newfound nickname.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviewers...

_Lothliana, clarissa, dragonblood, ihearttomfelton, Hippie1212, hermionejanegranger_: Thanx!! And I'm sorry if I just updated today. Forgive me and pls. keep readin' and updating!!

x

Hey guys! Sorry again for not updating so soon than I kept on promising. So many stuff to do at school I barely even get enough sleep now. Oh, and if any of you guys know the exact names of the characters in '_The Princess Diaries_' please tell me! The lines I placed are not exact, but it is still is part of it. Gotta go now! My dad's still gonna kill me if he finds me on line this late. Bye now!! Please R & R!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	13. Jealousy Starts

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey!! Just a warning about this chappy...it's a bit long but is only towards one point. Not much is discussed here, hope you still like it!! Oh, and please you HAVE to read my note at the end of this chapter. VERY IMPORTANT!! Read on! Hope you'll enjoy this...

x

_**-Chapter 12:Jealousy Starts-**_

"Err...well," Ron started "w-we were talking about..."

He looked over at Harry for help. Receiving none, he looked back at Snape and bit his lower lip awkwardly.

"Dumbledore" Ron said suddenly.

Harry looked at him and gave him a questioning look. Ron merely shrugged and gave an unsure expression.

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"The headmaster, you mean?" Snape said in an emotionless tone.

Ron nodded vigorously as Harry covered his forehead with his right hand.

"Well then," Snape said as he straightened his cloak "I'll make sure he gets your message"

Ron went a little pale as their Potion's master smirked and walked past them, down the stairs leading towards the dungeons.

"Nice move" Harry said shaking his head at him and started down the stairs yet again.

"What? What was I supposed to say?" Ron said daftly as he followed him.

Harry rolled his eyes.

x

"Today, you will be conjuring a simple but prohibited potion," Snape started as the class listened to him tentively "can anyone guess what that is?"

A few hands shot up.

"Yes miss Parkinson?"

"Is it a beautifying potion?" Pansy asked hopefully "Not that I need it of course"

"Unfortunately, it isn't" Snape said with a smirk "Anyone else?" he asked again. He scanned the room. "Ahh, Mr. Crabbe"

Crabbe raised his head he didn't raise his hand. He looked around, seeing the class was looking at him, waiting for his answer.

"Uhh...smartening potion?" he asked unsurely.

"Although it may be of use for you Mr. Crabbe," Snape said again with a smirk plastered on his face "that is not the potion we will be making"

He looked around again.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"A love potion" Draco said in a finishing tone.

Snape smirked yet again.

x

"He's going to strain himself smirking like that for the rest of the class," Ron whispered to Harry from the back of the class.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Harry whispered back.

"Oh yeah, it is" he replied, voice of realization.

Harry rolled his eyes.

x

"Well done Mr. Malfoy, ten points to Slytherin." Snape said as he took out his wand and turned to face the board "As what Mr. Malfoy said, we shall be conjuring a love potion"

Most of the girls were giggling now.

"But," Snape started, making them stop "it is a different kind. It will not make another person fall in love with you, it is a mere potion that will give you a clue as to who is your true love, and for you to know, I wouldn't have agreed to doing this, but the headmaster insisted on showing you the good and bad side of prohibited potions"

The girls started giggling again. Snape waved his wand and the ingredients and the procedure appeared on the board in front of him. He turned around and faced the class.

"You shall be working in groups of three, and because I feel so pitiful today, you shall be choosing your groups. Choose now and be quick about it, or else I will loose my patience and do the choosing instead" he said as he walked to his desk.

The students stood up and scattered around the room, approaching their friends for their group.

Neville walked over to Seamus and Dean. Pansy walked over Millicent and another 6th year Slytherin girl. Parvati walked over to lavender who was still scouting for their other group mate. Harry and Ron started going towards Hermione, and so did Draco and Blaise.

Hermione looked at her ex-best friends then at Draco and Blaise. She sighed and started towards Draco. Ron's jaw dropped, as Draco smirked.

x

"What the bloody hell did she do that for?" Ron told Harry, sounding appalled.

"Well, we're not exactly friends anymore aren't we?" Harry said rolling his eyes.

'My eyes are gonna pop out if I keep rolling them because of Ron's lame comments' Harry thought as he sighed and looked for other students that could possibly pair up with them.

x

"Good choice Granger" Blaise said with a smirk similar to Draco's.

Hermione smiled awkwardly. She never really knew Blaise by much, she never even heard him speak as much as a word to her before.

"It's okay Hermione, Blaise thinks okay of you. I managed to convince a certain few of the Slytherins that you're not as bad as before. They wouldn't have agreed to think the same as I but since you changed and – as most of them put it – you're unbearably hot, they agreed"

Hermione nodded and grinned at Blaise. He smiled just the same back at her.

Draco raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously at Blaise. He didn't trust him by much. The guy whom Draco knew who was very good with the ladies was Blaise...next to himself of course. Like he, he also had the looks and the charm to make girls fall on their knees.

"Okay," Draco started, cutting in with their stare-grinning session "let's get started now, shall we?"

Hermione shook her head and looked over at Draco and followed him as he walked to his original seat. He stole a glance over at Blaise who was half grinning, half smiling at her. She bit her lip and turned back to her front.

"What was that?" she thought to herself.

Hermione felt this urge to keep looking over at Blaise, but thought better, especially when Draco was with her, she might blow up her plan completely. She already had Harry and Ron to worry about, another guy in the picture would just destroy everything.

'But then again, the point was seducing Draco, maybe a bit of jealousy could spice it up a bit?'

x

"Okay, next is...add 3 unicorn hairs – since there are three of us – and stir it counterclockwise until it changes into a crimson color" Draco said, reading from his piece of parchment where he copied the procedure.

Hermione shook her head yet again and looked over at him and nodded, looking at the cauldron. Once again, she was having a staring session with Blaise.

'There really is something not normal about him,' Hermione thought 'either that or he's just plain handsome and he has a different approach on making girls love him'

Blaise ran his hand through his loose shiny black hair and leaned on the table dully.

"What next?" he asked boringly.

"Obviously," Draco started irritably "we wait"

Blaise rolled his eyes. Hermione smiled weakly at him. Blaise saw this and winked at her. Draco glared secretly at his housemate.

'Is he for real?' he thought to himself, looking at Blaise. He then looked at Hermione 'Why the hell is Hermione looking at him like that?'

"It's turning red now" Draco said as he slammed his piece of parchment on the table, making Blaise and Hermione jump a little.

Both looked over at Draco questioningly then looked over at their potion, which was indeed now a color pink and slowly turning red.

"Okay, now we add our own hairs into it" he said as he slowly plucked out one strand of his own sleek blonde hair.

He rested it on top of his piece of parchment while waiting for Hermione and Blaise to take out one of their own.

Blaise gently pulled one of his black hairs and placed it beside Draco's hair.

Hermione took a handful of her hair and began separating one strand from the rest. She then carefully pulled one out, and made a face.

Draco rolled his eyes and Blaise silently snickered as Hermione sheepishly handed about four strands of her hair over to Draco. She slapped Blaise on the arm playfully.

"By now, you should be separating your potions into your separate goblets" Snape interrupted from his desk at the front of the class.

Draco, Blaise and Hermione all took one goblet each of the ones gathered at the end of their working area.

Draco took a cup full of the red potion using Hermione's goblet, then Blaise's then his own.

Blaise took his hair and dropped it into the goblet and waited.

Boom. 

The whole class looked over at him as there was a loud sound and something shot up from Blaise's goblet, which was covered with red glitter. It soon fell down and landed on his open palm, the glitter slowly fading. It was a white...quill?

"Err...professor?"

"Yes Mr. Zabini?"

"Is it supposed to give me this?" he asked as he held up the quill.

"Yes, as I've said the potion will give you a clue as to who is your true love. The object the potion will give you will do something, like move or give off a sound once you do something to it or maybe contain something in it, which will be the clue"

Blaise didn't quite understand this. He shrugged and started and played around with it. The class was about to resume with their work, now getting enthusiastic as they saw Blaise's result of the potion. But as soon as they started to go back to work there was another sound...a shrill voice humming a tune but sounded more like screaming.

The class covered their ears with their hands, even Snape. Then the sound stopped.

"What was that?" Millicent asked aloud as the sound abruptly stopped.

"S-sorry, my bad. I tapped it on the table and-and it shrieked!" Blaise said, voice of total shock.

"Hey Zabini, maybe your true love is one of the mermaids in the lake" called out Seamus teasingly from behind the back of the class.

Draco smirked at this.

"Ha, ha!" Blaise said sarcastically in return.

Draco then dropped his own hair inside his goblet.

_Boom._

A thin black tube, the size half of his wand, fell on his palm as the red glitter slowly disappeared.

Everyone was now looking at him. He started experimenting it, tapping it on table and rolling it between his hands several times, but it didn't to anything. Rather irritated, he tried breaking it by pulling down each side. Instead of breaking, it split into half and small glittering stars shot out of it and swirled up the ceiling. Everyone was looking up at the hearts in awe. Then it slowly dropped like rain forming a line going back in the tube, which closed once again.

Draco smirked.

Then the same shrill sound filled the room once more.

"Blaise!" Pansy shouted, "Will you stop tapping that thing?"

Everyone looked over at her, wide eyed.

"What?"

The sound of the shrill sound from the quill was rather similar to Pansy's voice.

Millicent whispered into her ear. Pansy became wide eyed, face turning pink and slowly slid down on her chair, looking down.

A few people snickered.

_Boom._

A white orb landed on Harry's hands. He threw it on the ground, thinking it may contain something inside...but it bounced back to him. He caught it and tried twisting it. It opened, revealing a black hair, similar to his...then it burst into flames. Everyone looked over at him. The flame then died down, but the hair was still their, but was now a glowing fire-red color.

"bet I know who it is" Ron said knowingly to him, giving him a look.

"Oh shut up," Harry said as he twisted back the orb together.

_Boom._

_Boom._

Things have now landed on the students open palms.

Parvati got an inkbottle. It gave off green smoke when she opened it.

Dean took hold of a thin blue coin. He flipped it and it turns into a violet color once it hits his palm.

_Boom._

Millicent got a black rock. She slammed it on the floor and it broke into pieces, which later retook its form.

Boom.

A large silver egg landed on both of Hermione's palm. It was the size of the Triwizard Tournament egg clue.

Hermione gave off a low, short shout from the weight that now rested on her hands. Because of this, everyone looked at her. She opened the silver egg, expecting it to give off a sharp sound like that of Harry's egg from before, but it didn't. When she opened it, it revealed four ribbons. Yellow, black, and red ribbons were tied together with a light blue one. She studied it for a while if anything will happen. When nothing did, she pulled out the red one. Nothing. She pulled the black one. Nothing. She pulled the yellow. It gave a small explosion, giving off pink smoke. When the smoke was gone, a red rose now lay on the spot where the ribbons were. When Hermione reached out to get it, the rose disappeared with a poof and now a yellow smoke was there in the middle of it was a silver ring. There were designs on it, but Hermione can't take a clear view of it. She withdrew her hand and the rose appeared again.

Everyone was still looking at her. Who wouldn't? She had the most unusual object amongst them.

"Class dismissed" Snape interrupted the class once again.

Everyone took their objects and started out the classroom in conversations.

"I never thought I'd say this, but for once, Potions was wicked!" Seamus said as he studied Dean's coin.

Everyone else nodded at this, even Harry and Ron.

x

It was time for their break, Hermione went out to the grounds alone towards a tree by the lake. She dropped her book back and her egg beside her as she sat down. She kneeled her legs and buried her head on her crossed arms, which rested on her knees.

"This day has been unbelievable!" she said in a low shout to herself.

"I know what you mean," someone said from behind her.

She turned around expressionless, she felt really tired to give off any look. She turned back and looked out onto the lake and the mountains beyond it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he dropped his things and sat beside her.

"Tired."

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviews...

_shexy-cleva-yollop_: Thanks for the purple lolly!!! And by the way, I have a pink fluffy pen already!lol. Good you liked this chappy!

_Lothliana_: Thank you!! And I will never abandon this fic., never-ever!!!

_Ihearttomfelton_: Thanks for caring!!! How sweet!!lol. I'll try...

_dramaqueen72_: I hope so...lol.

_Samantha_: Thanks for telling me!!!

x

Please read!!!

This fic. is getting complicated...am I right?! Well, of course I'm right, I did write this.lol. Anywayz, I added a lot of stuff to this as you've noticed, so this fic. won't be anymore focusing on Hermione's new image but to her relationship with the Hogwart's guys. You also have noticed that there are plays, love potions and hinthint balls, fieldtrips and all that later.

Please bear with it, I have lots of ideas now, and I'm putting everything in the fic., it will get more complicated but in the end, everything will be connected. I hope you liked this, it's long but only to one point.

Oh, one more thing, I will be CHANGING the summary!!! I'll try to update as much as I can! Have to go now!! Bye y'all!!! Pls. R & R!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	14. My Little Baby

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hope you'll like this. I know I said I'll update Saturday or Sunday. Sorry for just posting now. I've been busy and tired. Hope you still like this. Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 13:My Little Baby-**_

"Why?"

"We did loads of stuff on the first day! I...I just wanna I don't know..."

Harry smiled faintly.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?" Hermione said not turning to look at him.

"Will you forgive me?"

"Why?"

"Erm...do I need to have a reason for that?"

"Of course"

"Look, I understand that it was sort of my fault when I followed you. It was wrong...it's just that, I'm just afraid something might happen to you especially because you're with Malfoy"

Hermione sighed at this. She was glad Harry was so softhearted. If he were like Ron, they wouldn't go back as friend until a month or even a year.

"I-I'm sorry too Harry. I shouldn't have over reacted about what you did. I mean, your intentions were good and...ugh! Point is, I'm sorry too," she said as she turned to look at him.

Harry smiled at this, and it was kindly returned by Hermione just the same.

"How 'bout Ron?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is he still mad?"

"Uhuh...but I think, he likes you 'Mione" Harry said carelessly.

"Huh?" Hermione gave him a confused and shocked look.

"I-I mean..." Harry stuttered, he didn't mean to say that aloud even if it was true "I think t-that he likes to be friends again with you too"

Hermione smiled weakly and turned back to look at the lake.

Harry reached into his pocket, searching for something. Moment later he pulled out a white orb.

"Is that your L.P. clue?" Hermione asked still looking at the lake.

"L.P. clue?"

"Love potion clue...the words are just too long to say" Harry snickered and twisted the orb.

The black hair burned into flames and turned red. Harry sighed at this.

"What's wrong?"

"I didn't know it was gonna be her"

"Her? Her who?"

"Oh, don't kid me Hermione, it's obvious that my clue is pointing me to Ginny"

Hermione turned to look at him then down to his clue. There was a red hair lying inside it.

"So what? Don't you like her? She's a really nice girl, and she has grown a lot...totally different from before"

Harry sighed yet again.

"I do _like_ her...not _love_ her. This err...'L.P. clue' is supposed to lead you to your true love. But I don't _love_ her"

"...yet" Hermione added. Harry sent her a questioning look.

"Oh don't be daft Harry...this clue is showing the truth. Ginny or another fire-red haired girl – which is impossible – is and will be your true love. But of course not know we're sixteen they don't expect us to fall for the person right now. We would still develop our feelings for them as we grow. Just give it time"

Harry considered this and then grinned at her.

"You never cease to amaze me Hermione"

"Of course, that's why I'm here" she grinned.

"C'mon, we gotta go. We have Care of Magical Creatures next and our break is almost over" Harry said as he got up and dusted the dirt of his robes.

He stretched out a hand for Hermione to grab. Hermione took it gratefully as she hoisted herself up with the help of her best friend. Both grinned at each other and started back towards the Hagrid's cabin.

x

"Hello there Harry," Hagrid who was sitting on the steps of his cabin shouted as he nodded towards Harry's direction "Hermione" he said as he nodded at Hermione.

Both grinned and waved back, then walked faster towards him. They were the only ones there.

"Where's Ron?"

"Err...getting his stuff" Harry lied. He had no idea where Ron was.

Hagrid nodded and picked up a huge box from behind him.

"What's in there Hagrid?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Here Hermione," he started, tapping his huge hand on the box "is yer lesson, and yer project for the rest of the term" she nodded.

She tiptoed and leaned forward to at least have a peek of what's inside.

"Oh no, it's a surprise" Hagrid said with a smile as he slowly stood up.

Hermione stopped and moved back. No need of bothering to peek now. Hagrid was the same height as the tree beside the steps of his cabin...and Hermione was only half it's height.

"Ok you lot, hurry now" he called out and waved at the rest of the group.

Harry turned around to at least spot Ron. Instead, his jaw dropped.

"Hagrid, are you sure that's the house we're going to work with today?" Harry asked, hoping it wasn't.

"Yup, why?" Harry groaned and crossed his arms.

"Ugh!" Pansy said aloud when she saw Harry and Hermione as they neared the cabin "Why are we always paired up with the Gryffindors? This is totally unfair!"

The Slytherins were nearing them, following behind them were the rest of the Gryffindors.

"As if we want to be with you," Seamus said to her as he walked past the Slytherins towards the front of the group.

Pansy glared at his back as the rest of the Slytherins settled at the back of the group. The Gryffindors stopped near Harry and Hermione, Ron now standing next to Harry.

"I thought you and 'Mione are on a fight" Ron whispered to Harry, as he shrugged in return.

Hagrid cleared his throat as the students stopped and stood waiting. A few – like Neville – were starting to tremble as to what dangerous creature he has brought for them for the period.

"Starting now, and the rest of the year" he started as he walked down the steps, still carrying the huge bow "you will be assigned ter a project. You shall be taking care of a magical creature"

"Taking care of one of your monstrous beasts? Are you kidding me?" Millicent said, with a nodding Pansy beside her.

"No, I am not kidding. But yer wrong, this time it's different. It's not dangerous...they're err...cute"

The Slytherins snorted at this, so did some of the Gryffindors. Hagrid never even considered the Blast-Ended Skrewts dangerous, he even thought dragons are adorable.

"In this box are Bupers"

"Bupers? Doesn't sound dangerous right?" Parvati whispered to Dean.

Dean shrugged.

"Are ball-like furry creatures...they come in various colors, Bupers. Size of a normal egg and once it grows it comes to a size of a dragon egg" He placed his other hand on the lid of the box.

A few of the Gryffindors who were in front moved back.

Hagrid pulled the lid revealing its contents. Most of the girls held their breaths and started smiling, then started slowly moving forward.

"That's right, it won't harm you...come closer now"

The rest of the students started moving forward as well.

"Aww...it's so cute!" Lavender squealed as she took one of the Bupers.

The furry thing rolled around on both of Lavender's palms, then abruptly stopped and looked at her. It was colored a sky blue, with its cute round eyes, staring into hers fixedly. It had small feet and hands, which looked merely looked, like small balls attached to its fur.

Lavender looked dreamy, her face starting to relax. The other students saw this and started moving away from her.

"W-what's wrong with her?" Neville stuttered out sounding worried.

"Well, I forgot ter mention. Bupers have lots of amazing powers it has. It can read a person's mind and emotion...they also are like dementors" at this news all the students – except Lavender who still looked dreamy, staring at the Buper – moved a few steps back "No, no. They act like dementors but are the opposite. They can relive yer happy memory instead of the sad one. Oh, I must warn you though. They have this strange power in line with relationships. That's why wizards and witches avoid getting into contact with them during valentine's day. They interfere with relationships, they do. People end up with the wrong person, but soon enough they find out that they aren't acting by their own free will"

The class sent a sigh of relief. Most of them started going forward to retrieve one of their own from the box, but Hagrid pulled the box away from their reach.

"Firs' I have ter assign you lot to yer partners"

"Awww...do I have to share it?" Lavender said, awoken by her trance, after being shaken by Parvati.

Hagrid smiled at her and nodded. She pouted.

"Okay, this will be a boy-girl partner project. Each of you must take care of yer Buper until the end of the year. I prefer the Buper spend more time with girls for they prefer them"

The girls looked smug as the boys rolled their eyes at them.

"Because girls have more problems, remember, their main purpose is ter bring happiness to you. More problems you have makes them more happy. Girls usually are the ones troubled, so I prefer these little guys with them"

The guys smirked and the girls glared at them.

"Okay, you lot. Since this project will last 'till the end of the year. I'll let you choose yer partners"

All the faces lit up at this piece of news.

"Okay, find yer partners now and..." Hagrid's voice could barely be heard as the class started walking around the ground looking for partners.

Harry was about to tell Hermione that she should be his partner until...

"Harry!" Parvati shouted over the shuffling of the rest of the class.

"Huh?!"

"Harry, you have to be my partner, c'mon...I already got us a Buper" Parvati said holding up the ball of fluff from her hands.

"Err...Hermione, you don't mind. Do you?"

Hermione just smiled at him and shook her head.

"Thanks" Harry said with a tone of sadness in his voice as he walked towards the excited looking girl.

'Great, who'll be my partner now?' Hermione thought, looking around for any other Gryffindor left without a partner.

Seamus already had a partner as he was already holding a Buper and Neville was next to him also holding one, meaning they already had their partners. Dean was standing next to Lisa. Ron was standing next to a dreamy looking Lavender...not that she would want to be partners with Ron.

Hermione sighed, there were no Gryffindor boys left. She looked around at the end of the class, the Slytherins were still finding their partners.

"Granger?" a voice asked her from behind.

'Of course! Draco!' her thoughts exclaimed. She smiled in delight and turned to see...someone else.

She stared at him...again.

"Zabini?" he nodded at her.

"Wanna be my partner?" he asked rather dully as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Hermione!" another voice called out from her side.

Draco was jogging towards her, closely followed by an annoyed Pansy.

"Would you mind being my partner?" Draco asked in a hushed voice as he tried to loose Pansy on his way to Hermione.

"Drakey! Will you be my partner or not?" she – obviously – didn't hear his question.

Hermione glanced back at Blaise then at Draco.

"Sorry, Blaise here asked me first" she said indicating to the smug looking Slytherin in front of her.

Draco glared at him, as Pansy was now beside Draco.

"Besides, Parkinson really wants to be your partner Malfoy" Blaise added with a smirk.

Draco glared even harder at Blaise and muttered a soft "Fine" under his breath. He trudged back to the back of the class as Pansy walked to the front to get a Buper.

Hermione looked at Blaise and raised an eyebrow.

"That was a bit harsh"

"It was?" Blaise said in mock surprise.

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked to the front of the class. She peered into the box to fin only two left. She took one of the Bupers – which was a light pink color – and headed back to Blaise. She sat down on the ground, cradling the Buper in her arms.

"Why did have to get a pink one?" Blaise said, nose wrinkled "It looks too girlish"

"Would you rather one colored like Dragon dung?" she asked continuing to cradle the Buper.

"Point taken" he said, as he looked over to the last pair to approach the box.

Millicent and Goyle. Millicent looked rather put out and disgusted by the dung colored Buper. Blaise smirked.

"Hagrid?" Hermione started, interrupting Blaise's thoughts "What are we supposed to be feeding these things?"

"Oh yeah, almost forgot about that...they only eat sweets"

"Pardon?" asked Ron.

"Sweets, meaning candies or chocolates...or anything else high in sugar" the class nodded at this "and as what I tried saying before. You can name your Bupers anythin' you want. Okay, anymore questions?"

No body raised their hands. Most of them are too bust cooing over their Bupers.

"Okay then, class dismissed"

x

The rest of the day went through so slow, you'd think you would never grow old. Professor Flitwick – fortunately – had pity on the students and decided not to assign any homework, same goes for Professor McGonagall. But they did do a lot of practical work done.

Hermione walked into her room and dropped her bag at the foot of her bed and flopped on the bed herself.

She placed Cruddles – her and Blaise's Buper – on top of her night stabd. It just stared at her, almost looking distressingly at Hermione.

"Ugh! I want to die!" she shouted to one of her crimson pillows.

"That could be arranged," said a rather sly voice from the door.

Hermione's body sat bolt right up at this. She didn't expect anyone to here her or even anyone to be there. She turned to the door and started to lie back down.

"What are you doing here?"

"This is my room?" Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh right...sorry"

Draco didn't reply instead walked towards her bed in her part of the room and sat on it. Completely ignoring the Buper's efforts of bouncing up and down and rolling around to get his attention as he passed the nightstand.

"What's wrong?" he asked rather nicely

"Nothing" Hermione said, not bothering to look up to face him.

"You're lying"

"I'm not"

"You're a really bad liar," Draco said as he took one of the crimson pillows and played with a loose thread.

"So?"

"You have to tell me"

"Why do I have to do that?" she asked still not looking up.

"Because I care..."

x

What do you think? Oh and thanks for the reviews!! Again, I don't have time to reply to each of it, but thanks for all of the reviews anyway!

Hope you guys liked this chapter. Took me a long time to post, I know. Busy at school and since yesterday night...I seem to have felt really depressed. I dunno why but I seem to be interested on talking about death lately. Ugh! I hope this is nothing bad. Anyway, thanks for the reviews!! I really appreciate it. Bye now and please R & R!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	15. Crud! Figures and Spoons!

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey! Not much in here, this chappy is a bit long but it's also just for relieving me from the pains of school. Stress has fully taken over me. Meaning, this chappy is less of romance and has a bit of humor and discoveries. Anyway, I won't ruin it for you here. Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 14: Crud! Figures and Spoons?!-**_

"Yeah right"

"I mean it"

"I know"

"I'm getting confused"

"So am I"

There was a silent pause for a while...then Hermione pushed herself from the bed to look at him. Her mouth slowly formed a smile, then she started giggling.

Draco raised an eyebrow at the girl who has gone to hysterics in front of him. He raised the pillow he was holding and hit her on the head lightly.

Hermione stopped and looked at him. Her face turning somber...then made herself fall back to her previous position.

"D-did I hurt you?" Draco asked guiltily.

"I never thought I'd live the day, Draco Malfoy would care about a muggleborn witch...specifically me"

"Is it really hard to believe?"

Hermione nodded as she rolled around so she's now facing the ceiling of their room.

"Seriously though, what is the matter with you?" Draco asked seriously.

Hermione shook her head.

"Tell me"

Again, she shook her head.

"Please?"

She turned her head to her left, now looking directly at Draco.

"I just feel...depressed. It's weird really"

"Why?"

"Well, basically, it's because of you"

"Me?" Draco asked sounding shocked and a bit offended.

"No, I don't mean it like that" Hermione added quickly by the sound of his tone "I mean it's just that, you changed. Even if it is for the good, it's sort of different really. First, we became friends, then Harry got mad at me, then Ron did next. Later, Harry and I reconciled except there are still awkward moments between us since we just came from a fight, and Ron still won't talk to me. Everything just changed since I got here – well, except for my usual study habits of course – and it's really making me miserable," Hermione breathed deeply at this. She turned back to face the ceiling then shut her eyes.

'So, it is my fault' Draco thought to himself, guilt running through his veins.

"But I'm not saying it's your fault okay?" Hermione told him still closing her eyes. It's like she's reading his thoughts.

"But it is" Draco said in a whisper that could barely be even heard.

"What did you say?" Hermione asked as he now looked at him, eyes open, full of...tears.

Now Draco really felt guilty.

'How could she cry like that for such a little thing?' He thought to himself 'I never cry for little stuff like for a best friend and all that petty stuff'

'That's because you never had a best friend' said another voice inside his thoughts. 'You never even had a true friend...ever'

Draco grew mad at his thoughts for letting him feel miserable.

"Oh, shut up" he hissed to his own thoughts but accidentally said it aloud.

"Huh?" Hermione asked as she sniffed.

"N-nothing" Draco said hastily as he stood up from her bed.

Hermione sat up from her position, still looking at him as he moved around.

"Get some rest Hermione, it's a big day tomorrow"

"It's always a big day whenever we're in a castle where magic can exist. That's because we never know what we might encounter every step we take"

Draco smiled faintly. He moved towards the curtain that divided their sides of the room. He clutched it in one hand, Hermione's eyes still on him. He moved towards the other side, pulling the curtain with him, covering her view on his side of the room. He stole one last glance at the sad looking girl on the bed.

"Good night Hermione" he said in a low voice to her. Not waiting for an answer, he stepped to his side and disappeared behind the curtain.

x

Hermione woke up the next morning with much of the sunlight on her eyes.

"Oh crud"

Something hit her stomach with a flop.

"Crud" said a cute and squeaky small voice.

"You can talk?"

"Crud!" said Cruddles her Buper.

"Err...can you say something else?"

"Crud!" it said louder than before.

"Okaaay" Hermione said getting freaked out.

"What's wrong in here?" Draco asked followed by a wide yawn, he rubbed his eyes and squinted as he looked over at Hermione and the ball of fluff bouncing on her stomach.

"It talked!" Hermione exclaimed still in shock.

"Of course it talked, didn't you listen to the big oaf during classes? It talks but only says its name" he yawned again.

Hermione turned her gaze from Draco to her Buper, her jaw dropped.

"Ugh! As much as I feel bad about you knowing something that I don't, I can't feel bad enough"

"Why's that? And why is he saying '_crud_'?"

"That's because that's the name I gave _her_"

"You named it '_crud_'?" Draco asked giving her a weird look.

"No, of course not. I named _her_ Cruddles," She said defiantly as she took the ball of fluff and cradled it in her arms.

"Crud! Crud!" Cruddles repeated as she cuddled onto Hermione's arms.

"Well, too bad. You shouldn't have given _it _a long name" Before she could speak, he walked back behind the curtain to his side.

x

"Hi Harry"

"Hey 'Mione"

Hermione sat either side of Harry and Seamus. Ron wasn't there.

"Where's Ron?"

"Here," said a muffled voice under the table "why?"

Ron asked as he reappeared back on the table.

"Errr..."

"Look you guys, can you just stop and be friends again? I mean, there's no need for the both of you to stay mad at each other. It was because of that actually started this fight between he two of you"

Ron pouted as Hermione sighed.

"Uhhh..."

"Ummm..."

Both couldn't have anything to say.

"Hermione, Ron is sorry for being such a pig," Harry said as he looked beside him "Ron, Hermione is sorry for being a total cow" he said looking at Ron from opposite of the table.

Harry looked back down at his food as he started buttering his toast. Ron and Hermione looked at each other then to Harry. Harry then looked up at both of them with a questioning look.

"What?" he asked with a bit of his toast in his mouth.

"Cow?" Hermione repeated raising an eyebrow looking appalled.

"Pig?" Ron asked with the same look as Hermione.

"Well, it is true"

"You're the cow, you started all this"

"And you're the pig because your now eating and I'm not" Ron said as he took his own toast and started buttering it.

Harry and Hermione looked at him and laughed.

"What?" Ron asked, as he was about to shove the whole of his toast into his mouth.

"It's good we're all friends again. Remind me to keep my temper with the both of you" Hermione said as he took a croissant from a plate in front of her.

"Same goes for us" Harry and Ron said in unison.

All three of them laughed together, taking the attention of a few students, like Draco.

'They're friends again' Draco thought as he drank from his goblet while looking over at Hermione's joyous face 'I better not ruin it for her again'

He sighed and replaced his goblet on the table.

"Draco?" Pansy said just near his ear "What's wrong?" She looked over at what Draco was looking at, but Draco hastily turned to look at his pug-faced fellow Slytherin.

"Nothing, c'mon. First class is Divination, we have a long walk to take to the tower" Draco said as he stood up from his seat.

"Remind me, why didn't we ever drop this class?" Pansy asked heatedly as she followed him along with most of the other 6th year Slytherins.

"Because, it's just a pile of rubbish and it's one class we are guaranteed to pass and get high marks on. Besides, it's like a free period. All we have to do is continue with our predicting we'll suffer and that bug-eyed bat would give us high marks.

"You really are a true Slytherin Draco"

"Of course I am" Draco said with a tone of pride in his voice.

'...but I hope I wasn't' he added in his thoughts as they started to climb the enchanted staircases.

"Oh and Parkinson, where's our Buper?"

"Right here" she said as she patted on a lump on her robe's pocket.

"What did you call it?"

"Poo!" came a cute and squeaky voice inside Pansy's robes.

"Poo?"

"Short for pookie"

"Right" Draco said with a weird expression on his face.

'What is it with girls and names?'

x

"Crud!"

"Excuse me?" Professor McGonagall asked as she turned her back to the lined up students outside her classroom waiting for her to open the door.

"Crud! Crud! Crud!"

"Now really, who is that? Speak up or else I have to dock off more points to your house than you already deserve. I do not tolerate students using such offensive language"

"Err...sorry professor" Hermione said from the middle of the line as she raised her hand.

"Ms. Granger? Why...I never have seen a prefect, most of all a top student in my-"

"Oh no professor!" Hermione added as she walked to the front of the line. "I-it's not me, I-it's my B-buper"

"Ah, of course. Hagrid told the staff some of you might be taking those things into classes. Dumbledore gave your permission to do so, and so have I...but, I will also not tolerate it if you stop participating classes"

"O-of course not professor"

"And may I ask, why you named your Buper '_crud_'?"

"Err...its real name is Cruddles, but she can only say Crud"

"Very well," McGonagall said, as she looked up to the class "Anybody else who's brining their Bupers into the class today?"

Parvati raised her hand, so did Lavender, Padma, Luna and a few other Ravenclaw girls. It seems like only the girls are the ones keeping the Bupers.

McGonagall sighed, turned back and open the door then walked inside the classroom, followed by the boys still discussing Quidditch and the girls who were still cooing over their Bupers.

x

"Dear, I can sense your aura getting conspicuous" Trelawney said in a dazed voice indicating her hand towards Draco.

"Hmph, bug-eyed bat" Draco said under his breath.

"Pardon me, dear?" she asked still with a dazed tone in her voice.

"I just sensed something from my crystal ball" Draco said in a mock fascinated voice, as he waved his hands around the foggy glass ball in front of him.

Pansy snickered silently beside him.

"Yes, yes...what do you see?" Trelawney asked, oblivious to the real situation.

"I see..." Draco started.

'What the bloody hell do I see in this thing?' he asked himself quickly.

"I see..." he repeated aloud as to stall the time.

'What's that?' he asked himself looking over at a fuzzy looking figure he saw at top left of the ball.

"I see..." he squinted his eyes "a bulky eyed hag!" he said rather loudly than he was supposed to.

He looked up to see his professor's reaction to his first ever prediction, which he never made up.

When he did, he jumped back rather quickly and breathed heavily while clutching his heart.

"Is something the matter?" she asked as she looked at him, bewildered at his actions.

Meanwhile, the Slytherins were howling in laughter at this and a few of the Hufflepuffs couldn't help but join in with the laughing.

Draco slowly walked back to his seat as his professor stood up from her place.

Judging by Trelawney's position earlier, she was kneeling very closely to Draco's seat. And as Draco guessed, it was she whom he saw in the crystal ball. The ball merely showed a reflection of the Divination's professor. No wonder Draco described the figure as a 'bulky eyed hag'.

Draco slowly sat back down on his seat as Trelawney was now regaining her walking around to see the other student's performances.

"That w-was great D-Draco!" Pansy exclaimed from beside the still stunned looking Slytherin.

Draco turned to look at her and tell her why she thought it was funny, when Trelawney almost gave him a heart attack.

"What are y-" he started but abruptly stopped as someone patted him from the back and as Pansy's laughter grew louder.

"That was great Draco...no wonder you got that part of Josh Ryan in the play" Millicent said from behind him with a nodding Crabbe beside her.

Draco smirked at this.

'These idiots will believe anything!' he thought to himself but continued his gaze to the other students in the perfume filled room, who were all looking at him with admiration. 'Oh well, anything to keep myself at the top'

He continued looking around, then winked at a Hufflepuff who was still looking at him and whom he had noticed had a dreamy expression on her face. She blushed and hastily turned around to entertain the Divination professor who had been trying to get her attention.

Draco smirked again.

'Hu! He thinks he's too cool. Everyone's blinded by him...but no matter, I can still get Hermione for myself soon' a certain Slytherin thought to himself while looking at Draco as he ran his hand through his loose, shiny black hair.

x

"Well, that was a great lesson" Hermione said with a smug look on her face as she dropped a shiny silver spoon inside the box which Lavender had been passing around.

"Speak for yourself" Ron said sadly as he dropped a fork into the box, which Hermione noticed had a bird's beak and was still wriggling around.

"Yeah" Harry said from her other side. She saw that he had successfully turned the crow into a spoon but it still had claws and was running around in circles on his table. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, that was the easiest one we were ever assigned to transfigure all week" she said in a it-was-nothing-I-can-do-that-anytime look on her face.

It was Harry and Ron's turn to roll their eyes as they headed out of the room.

"Hermione," Harry started as he pushed open the door to let the said girl walk out first "only you would be daft enough to think that lesson was actually e-"

"Hello Hermione" said a rather familiar voice.

"Oh, hey Gin!" Hermione replied in a happy tone.

"Ron" Ginny nodded to her brother who was standing at the right of Hermione.

"Hey Ginny" Ron said as he too nodded his head towards her sister.

"Harry" she said his name rather differently almost seductively yet coarsely then nodded towards Hermione's left side at him.

"Err..." Harry started looking unsure, "Gin" he said as he nodded at her.

Ginny smiled at Hermione, then at Ron then smirked at Harry.

Harry still looked at her as if she's gone mad.

"C'mon Gin, or else McGonagall will get into a fit and give us a whole lecture about being tardy" one of her friends, as Hermione knows as Ella, was tugging on Ginny's robes, urging her to move forward into the room behind the trio.

"Good bye then" she said dismissingly as she walked inside together with the rest of her classmates.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron said incredulously as they started walking down the corridor towards their next class, Charms.

"How should I know? She's your sister, not mine" Harry said still thinking about what just happened.

"Well, it was you she kept on looking at" Ron pointed out.

"That was quite obvious wasn't it?" Hermione spoke up.

Ron rolled his eyes, then looked over at Harry again.

"You know what?"

"Obviously we don't" Hermione spoke up again.

Ron glared at her then turned back to Harry.

"I think she still likes you Harry"

"We've been through that, Ginny just likes me as a friend and nothing more"

"But you don't know that"

"Yes I do, she told me after the war remember?"

Ron touched his chin with his thumb and index finger, to show that he was actually thinking.

"Oh yeah..." he said nodding his head.

Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes.

"Arrr..."

"What did you say Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Huh?"

"Arrr..."

"There you go again, what do you want?" Ron asked yet again as he now stopped.

"I didn't say anything" Hermione said as she and Harry now stopped as well.

"That be me laddie"

"Huh?"

"Over here" Harry and Ron looked around to see no one but a few of the Gryffindors getting farther from them then they looked down "AHHH!!!" they shouted in unison.

"Oh hello, Noby" Hermione said calmly at the pirate house elf.

"NOBY?!!" Harry and Ron said in unison, looking at the poor excuse of a house elf then at Hermione.

"Actually it's No Beard, but he prefers to be called Noby" she filled in as to her best friends and looked back at the Noby with a smile on her face, thankful that he no longer smelled of rotten fish.

"Ayy" Noby said while nodding his head.

"Noby," Hermione started "these are my best friends, Ron Weasley..." she said indicating the red faced red head who gave a small nod "...and Harry Potter" she indicated Harry who also did the same as Ron.

Noby smiled and took his polka dotted bandana off his head and bowed very low at both of them but not until her stole a second glance at Harry.

"Noby here is the head of the kitchens' management and over the other house elves"

"You're a house elf?" Ron asked bluntly.

"Indeed I am lad" the proud house elf said as he re placed his bandana on his head.

"Err...riiggghhhttt!" Ron said back to him, as he and Harry were giving each other weird looks.

"Miss, I have something to say to yee" Noby said, diverting his attention to Hermione, as he pulled her to the opposite side of where Harry and Ron stood to avoid them overhearing.

"Hold on," Hermione reached down into her pocket to reveal a pink ball of fur. "Harry, hold her for me a while"

"Crud!" Cruddles exclaimed excitedly as Harry took her in his hands.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, now getting curious as she walked back towards Noby.

"It be about that girl yee were talking to" she gave him a questioning look. "Red hair" realization came to her as she nodded. "She is spying on yee"

"Excuse me?" Noby merely nodded.

"He" he started pointing a small finger at Harry which he covered with another hand as to avoid him see "be friends with blonde boy"

"Blonde boy? You mean Draco?" He nodded.

"They be having a truce..."

"Truce?"

"...and a bet"

"A bet? A WHAT?!!" Noby nodded again "What do you mean a bet? About what? On who?"

"Yee, me lady, yee"

"Me? What did they deal on?"

"The red head girl knows, she be spying on them and yee"

"Are you serious? Or is this your idea of a joke?"

"Oh no me lady, Noby does not tell jokes or lies to Noby's friends"

"Then how do you know this?"

"House elves always overhear things from student conversations, ay"

Hermione nodded.

"Just keep look out miss, they bet you a kiss, so Noby had heard"

"A what? A kiss? They bet a kiss? What do you mean? I-" before Hermione could finish her sentence, Noby already vanished in front of her.

"Hello?" came a voice from down the corridor. "Oh, Harry! Ron! Hermione! I've been looking everywhere for the three of you!" Hannah said as she walked towards the trio.

"What is it Hannah?" Hermione asked.

"Well, first of all, you're now 20 minutes late for Charms. Flitwick asked me to come look for you"

Hermione checked her watch, the talk between her and Noby slowly getting lost from her thoughts.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed.

"You bet it is, we-" before Hannah could finish her sentence, the trio had already gone, running down the hall where she came from. She sighed and rolled her eyes, slowly making her way back to the classroom.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Reviewers!

Thanks for the reviews you guys, please continue reviewing, it keeps me going. The less I get the less effort I get to write the next chappy, esp. at this time because of my exams...but thanks to all those who really took time to review my fic.!! Hope to see more...

x

Hey guys! I know I said my exams are coming up. In fact, it's gonna be this Saturday. Thought I'd just write a chapter to relieve myself from all the stress that has taken hold of me since my last update. School's been torture these days! Anyway, updating seemed a good idea a while ago...just my idea of loosing my stress of all the school work and studying.

My next update will be next week...probably Wednesday or the next Saturday or Sunday. I'm not positively sure yet, but just keep a look out k?! Please R & R! I gotta go now...bye!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	16. Discovered

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey guys!! Sorry for not updating as much as I used to, I've been busy at school, I hope you guys will forgive me! Please R & R and Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 15: Discovered-**_

'A kiss? What does he mean they're betting me a kiss?' Hermione thought, barely listening to the lecture Professor Flitwick was discussing.

Ever since Noby told her this she had been pre occupied with the thought. She knew she had to talk to Draco, Harry and of course – the unexpected – Ginny.

"Hermione" someone whispered.

She sighed heavily, she had never been so confused before, not even for her school work. She never thought she'd live the day to be so confused especially with such thoughts.

"Hermione!" the voice said again a little more louder than before.

"H-Huh? Yes Professor I will do my h-" she stopped abruptly as she spotted her best friends looking at her incredulously and that nobody else was left in the classroom but them.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about? I don't look like Flitwick!" he said rather offended at the thought that he looked as old as the Charms professor. "Do I?" he added as he faced Harry who raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you think?"

"No!"

"Well, there you have it!" he rolled his eyes and sighed then looked back at his other best friend. "You okay 'Mione?"

"Of course! What made you think other wise?"

"Well, first of all, you were muttering to yourself about kissing and then Ginny's name came up...y-your not a-a..."

"A what?" she asked crudely.

"A lesbian...are you?" Harry asked as he bowed down his head for even considering Hermione was a homosexual.

"Are you mad?" Hermione shrieked as she stood up and paced the room, arms crossed.

"Woah 'Mione! Calm down, I never seen you so uptight and irritable like this before, except when we had our OWLs" Ron stated as he sat down on her desk.

"What do you mean uptight and irritable!" she shouted yet again "I certainly am not! I-I just have a lot of things in my mind that's all, and I don't like it...I have never been so confused in my life and it's driving me nuts!"

"Well...talk to someone, you could talk to us. It could lighten up the load you have in that crowded brain of yours" Harry said bluntly.

Hermione stopped and glared at him and he bowed back down his head.

"Oh and Harry?" she asked in a calm voice.

Harry looked up slowly, seeing her slowly walking towards him in a seductive way. His eyes slowly started to widen and he noticed – from the corner of his eye – that Ron's ears were reddening, probably because of his best friend is seducing his other best friend or he's just plain jealous. He wanted to smirk at this but Hermione was now mere centimeters away from him, one small move and his lips would touch hers. Then, she had done the unexpected.

"I am not a lesbian!" she shouted in front of his face and turned around swiftly and slammed shut the door.

Silence.

Harry still looked shocked by what happened he still didn't move until...

"AHAHAHAHAH!!!!" someone was certainly enjoying this. "AHAHAHAHAH!!!!"

Harry turned to see his best friend, and looked down on him...literally, because Ron was on the floor clutching his stomach – obviously from the pain – and he had tears on his eyes which was wiped off by his other hand.

"AHAHAHAHAH!!!!" he continued laughing and stomping his feet on the ground.

"You're mad! Get up, and stop laughing!" Harry said as he crossed his arms, face flushed.

"Y-you, t-tha...s-she was s-s-soooo...AHAHAHAH!!!!" Ron didn't have enough energy to continue what he had said and to even stop laughing.

x

'Really!' Hermione thought incredulously. 'A lesbian? I mean...c'mon! What's the use of this _change_ if they start to consider me a lesbian? Sure, call me a lesbian when all I wear are this tight skirts and shirts that can hardly even make me breath, it-'

Hermione stopped her thoughts as she stopped on the spot. She was about to turn a corner when she over heard voices, which was just around the corner she was about to take. She leaned her tilted her head to see whoever it was talking.

She raised an eyebrow.

It was Parvati and Lavender, and was talking in whispers just by the portrait of the Fat Lady; Hermione could barely hear a word they were saying. She leaned in closer.

"Oh c'mon Parvati..."

"No, we must be patient with this"

"But I'm tired of waiting, why can't we just make a bet again that he can't do it until a week? I mean, December?" Lavender said a bit louder than before.

"Shhh!!" Parvati hissed as she looked around to see if anyone overheard them.

She looked back at Lavender and started talking again, but now in much more lower voices, it was close to impossible to hear what they were talking about.

"I said...time...at least...have fun along the way" Hermione was all Hermione made out of what Parvati said.

She tilted her again to take a peek, just when a short blonde boy with a camera came skipping towards them from their other side.

"Hey girls!" Colin shouted.

"Creevy! I said keep that big trap of yours shut!" Lavender hissed at the 5th year.

Colin grinned sheepishly and made a zipping motion over his mouth.

"As I was saying, all Garnet said is that they're friends again and that Malfoy is evading"

"That's all?" Lavender asked as Parvati nodded in reply. "Well that was a load of help" she said sarcastically then pouted and added with a disappointed tone in her voice "c'mon! We wouldn't need to hear that again, because even the whole school already knows!"

Lavender and Parvati continued arguing about how useless this "Garnet" was in whispers with Colin following them closely as they walked.

Hermione couldn't hear a word they were saying anymore so she stole a peek at them just when Lavender was putting a small piece of parchment from a loose stone on the wall near the portrait.

"Don't you girls have anything to do than sneak around and disturb everyone?" the portrait of the fat lady said loudly, who had awoken from her short nap.

"Shhhh!!!" Parvati said as Lavender handed her the note.

"I can and will talk as much as I want until your three go on and stop disturbing me during my nap time, I'm a busy portrait you know! Always walking up at the least expected of times just to hear you say the passwords to let you in. Even at the dead of the night you..." As the fat lady continued her whining, she saw the three students walk fast towards the other corridor opposite her.

Hermione waited for a while to make sure none of them comes back, then slowly walked slowly towards the portrait silently as not to annoy the fat lady.

The fat lady looked at her suspiciously but has not said a word since she wasn't making any noise at all.

Hermione smiled at her then opened up the loose stone and took out the parchment that Lavender put inside.

Garnet

Thanks for the 411 but we already knew that, can we ask a favor though? Keep Harry close to Hermione, don't let her get to close to Malfoy. Thanx.

P&L

"What?" Hermione said in a whisper. Then added a bit more loudly than intended "What are they planning on doing with me, Harry and Draco?"

"Not you too! Do you know I have to put up with all you students everyday? I only agreed to be assigned to be the Gryffindor entrance portrait because I thought it was only in this house that the students follow the rules and..."

"Sorry!" Hermione told her as she rolled up the parchment and placed it back inside the loose stone. She paused for a while before she ran to the corridor she came from.

'I don't believe this!' she thought to herself, letting her feet take her wherever it desired to go 'they're plotting something against me and Draco!'

She stopped for a while and thought.

"And who the bloody hell is Garnet?" she asked herself loudly and irately then started to walk again.

"Garnet" Hermione muttered again and again "Garnet, Garnet, Garnet, Garnet..." she stopped.

"Garnet? Garnet means crimson, crimson means red..." she placed her hand on her chin and thought...hard, trying to remember her thoughts of what Noby told her about someone spying on her.

"_It be about that girl yee were talking to...she is spying on yee"_

'The girl I was talking to...Ginny. Ginny, Red, Red...red hair! Ginny!! So that's it! Noby was telling me that Ginny was spying on me...Garnet is Ginny!' Hermione thought as she let her feet walk again.

"Hermione?" someone asked her from behind.

She still walked on.

"Hermione!" the person said more loudly that Hermione stopped and turned to the source of the voice.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco said as he jogged towards her.

"No where" Hermione said without looking at him, still in deep thought.

"Well, your no where is towards the Slytherin dungeons"

"Huh?" Hermione said as she glanced at him then behind her and saw that the stairs going down towards the dungeons were at the end of the corridor, where she was walking towards "Oh sorry" she said as she blushed and walked past him.

"Wait, what's wrong with you? And where are you going?" Draco said as he walked beside her.

'Anywhere! It doesn't matter, they're plotting something against us' she thought as she looked into Draco's concerned eyes. 'Hang on, the note said not to let Draco come near me, if I do the opposite, then maybe they're plan might be ruined...whatever their plan is'

"Ermm...around" she replied unsurely.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

Hermione rolled her eyes then pulled him after her.

"Just come one and take a walk with me," she said bluntly as she headed towards the entrance hall.

"Where are we going? The grounds?"

"Uh-huh" she said continuing to pull him as she reached the entrance doors and walked down the stairs to the grounds where most of the students were, relaxing for their break.

Hermione looked around in hope to see the particular people she wanted to see...then she smiled then continued walking towards the edge of the lake and plopped herself down.

"I thought you wanted to take a walk"

"Nah, I just want to have some fresh air and just lie around to relax," she said as she patted the spot of grass beside her to let him sit next to her.

When he did, she looked around her.

Harry and Ron where under the beech tree talking with Dean and Seamus probably about Quidditch since in front of them was The Daily Prophet opened to the sports section.

Not to far away were Ginny and her friends, they were just talking but Hermione noticed Ginny stealing a few glances at Harry's direction.

A few meters away from Hermione's right side, also by the edge of the lake was Parvati and Lavender talking in hushed whispers. Through the corner of her eye, Hermione knew they were looking at her and Draco ever since she sat on the ground, so she didn't look at their direction.

"Hermione?" Draco said from beside her, bringing her attention back to him.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your acting weird, like someone's following you or something"

"Oh it's nothing, I'm just...tired, is all" she smiled at him for noticing and caring, then laid her head on his shoulder.

"Hermione, I-I need to...tell you something"

"What is it?"

"I..." Draco leaned his head towards her, closing the distance between their lips.

Ringgggg... 

"I err...got to go to class!" Draco said immediately.

Hermione looked put down and stood up with Draco helping her.

"Okay, c'mon then" she said disappointed as they walked back towards the castle with the other students.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Thank you for the reviews...I noticed that I've been getting less reviews than I used to. I don't blame you guys, I haven't updated as much as I used to, so maybe I deserve it. But I hope you'll make me more reviews now because I'll be updating as much now because I have a one week break / semestral break from school...so I'll be here to update, and I hope you'll be here to review! I'll update the next chapter tomorrow if I get at least more reviews than I did from the last chapter...anyway, bye for now! R & R please!!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	17. What!

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey guys!! Here's the next chapter!! Hope you'll like it! Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 16: What?!-**_

_Draco_

_Meet me tonight by the lake. Same spot._

_Hermione_

Hermione folded the parchment and dropped the note on Draco's desk as she left the classroom for her next class.

She had done a lot of thinking lately, about Parvati and Lavender, Ginny, Harry and Ron, and most of all about Draco. She doesn't know what has gotten into her but she felt sorry for him. Sure, Draco did do a lot of mean things to her and Harry and Ron but now, it doesn't seem that he was the one who did all of things. He was controlled by his father and that was that, he had no way to go, no choice on what to do but follow his father's orders, to despise Harry, the Weasleys and muggleborns, specifically me. She had no reason to have revenge on him for something, which isn't even his fault, so she decided to just ignore and let go everything she planned to do to Draco...she was falling for him, and she didn't have the heart to hurt him, he has already gone through enough pain.

x

"Hermione?" Draco whispered through his invisibility cloak as he reached their spot by the lake.

"Draco! Where are you?" Hermione whispered back who was sitting down on the grass under Harry's invisibility cloak.

"What do mean where am I? Where are you?"

"I'm here!"

"Where?"

"Here!"

"Where's here?"

"Right here!" Hermione said as she pulled the invisibility cloak a bit to reveal half of her face.

"Oh, there" Draco said as he imitated what she did and walked towards her, and sat down beside her "So, why did want me to come?"

"Look, I'm sorry"

"For what?"

"I don't know"

"Huh?"

"Well, I just feel that I need to apologize" she said as she rested her head back on his shoulder like before.

"Okay, me too. I'm sorry"

"For what?"

"Well, unlike you, I have a reason, I'm sorry for everything I did to you and your friends"

"Okay"

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

By this time, the invisibility cloaks now lay on the floor. Now, they were exposed by whoever would go out of the castle at that time, but they didn't mind nor cared nor bother to hide themselves.

"About what I was about to tell you before"

"Yeah?"

"I...well...it's really hard to tell you this"

"Tell me what?"

"Well, I like you"

"I know"

"You know?" he asked disbelievingly, was he that obvious?

"Uh-huh...we're friends, you're supposed to like me"

"No" he shook his head, causing Hermione to lift her head from his shoulder and look at him straight in the eye.

"What do mean no? You hate me?"

"No, I mean I like you, really like you"

"Huh?"

"I don't know" Draco confessed.

He was telling the truth, he never felt this way before, eh doesn't even know what it was...he wasn't raised to ever feel this way before, his father never even told him what this feeling was.

"You don't know?"

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm feeling right now, my father never told me anything like this before"

"Do you mean l-" she stopped, she was meaning to say love but she wasn't even sure that was it, I mean, everyone know what love is, so it mustn't be love "Wait, what's the feeling like?"

"I don't know, it's like I can't think of anything else, I feel cold and freeze inside me mixed with joy and excitement, like my body's not working right"

"Oh" Hermione whispered.

'That's love for you' she thought 'but why the hell doesn't he know what the feeling is? Everyone can tell when they're in love'

"Umm...Draco, by any chance can you tell me the girls you have been with before?"

"Been with?"

"Err...slept with to be exact"

"Oh" Draco bowed down his head and placed his hand on his chin calculating something in his head. "Err...17?"

"17?!" Hermione almost shouted.

"No wait...that's not right" Draco said suddenly, Hermione sighed in relief.

"It was...22!"

"22?!" her jaw dropped.

"Yeah, if you count that time with those Slytherins from 4th year, they had a sleepover, they invited me and all we did was..."

"Stop!" Hermione interrupted, not wanting him to go further "If you must know, girls your with don't want to listen to your stories about what you do with girls you slept with before"

"Sorry" he muttered.

She smiled at him then stared at the lake.

It was a perfect night. Hundreds of stars crowded over the dark sky along with the bright full moon. It was very peaceful, the water in the lake reflected the moonlight and the night breeze blowing their hair and sending a bit of a chill to the atmosphere and to their bodies.

Hermione shivered, and Draco noticed. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She smiled at him and snuggled into his chest welcoming the heat he was emitting.

"Draco, have you ever loved someone?"

"Love?"

"Yeah love"

"Err..."

"Have you?"

"I-I don't know"

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well, I don't know. What is love?"

Hermione stiffened in shock.

"Y-You don't know what love is?"

"No, do I have to?"

"Of course you should! Everyone's supposed to know what love is! You're probably the only person I know who doesn't know what it is! Haven't you ever felt that you love a girl?" Draco shrugged "Any girl?" he looked at her questioningly.

"Not that I know of" Hermione sighed "What is love anyway?"

"It's hard to explain" she paused "In an easier explanation, it's when you really care for a person, and feel that he or she's really special, you usually feel all tingly and weird inside once you feel it, and you also feel like your incomplete and empty once you don't have the person you love, all in all it's the cause why people even consider marrying each other"

'There! That's a clue for you to know how you feel about me!' Hermione shouted to him in her thoughts.

"But my father and mother never loved each other"

"What?!" she said disbelievingly, also trying to hide the disappointment she felt inside that he didn't get what she said.

'Oh c'mon!' she thought 'You can't be this daft!'

"If they did, I should have at least learned what the meaning of love is...besides, all purebloods' marriage are all only amongst purebloods, so we don't have much choice on who we can marry since there aren't much purebloods left"

"So, you mean...you marry your cousins?"

"Not necessarily, if we marry purebloods in the same country then the possibilities are that it could be our own blood, if we were to marry other purebloods of other countries, then we aren't actually cousins"

"Then, you don't have the choice on who you want to marry?"

Draco shook his head with a saddened expression on his face.

"Pureblood marriages are all arranged and planned out the day we were born"

"You have a fiancé?"

Draco nodded.

"Sort of" the expression on his face was half sad and half irritated.

"And, may I ask, who the lucky girl is?"

"Pansy" he muttered.

"Pansy Parkinson?" she asked incredulously, then tried to stifle her laughter.

"Don't laugh"

"I-I'm not l-l-laughing-ng...I-I-I...HAHAHAHAH!!!" Hermione fell on the ground tears in her eyes and wiped it with the sleeve of her cloak.

Draco remained silent, as he waited for Hermione to get back to her original state and stared into the lake. Then, Hermione abruptly stopped. Draco turned to look at her, her face looked serious and sad.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"About what?"

"You getting married to Pansy"

"Well, that's what my father told me before"

"Can't you have the choice to deny?"

"I do, but I already stated my decision when I was eleven, we are supposed to announce our decision if we are to agree on it or not...but Pansy was a sweet girl then, before we came to Hogwarts, so unfortunately I said yes"

"Well, your father isn't here anymore"

"I know, but I can't do anything, I already announced my decision in front of my other relatives, and the code said I can't take back the decision I made"

Hermione nodded, tears forming in her eyes, not because she was about to laugh, but because of her sadness. She knew it would be too good to be true, she could never have Draco for herself.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Eyes like the stars" he started.

"Huh?" Hermione asked in wonder as he faced him, eyes locked.

"Glittering" he started again, his hand now caressing her cheek, "amongst all the darkness surrounding it. The only light from the dark the only savior, only hope that could take me away from the sadness, loneliness of the world which surrounds me..."

"Draco" Hermione interrupted.

"Hermione, though I may not now what love really is...I-I think I love you"

Hermione turned to look at him just as he was slowly leaning closer to her. She waited for his lips to touch hers, and just as it did, something snapped. The kiss was nothing like the first one they had when they were in their dorm during the welcoming party, sure it was really intense but it was only full of lust and less of love. This time, she really felt that she was in love with Draco and him with her. Other than her feelings, she literally heard something snap from behind her mixed emotions.

She slowly pulled away and smiled at him, savoring for one last moment the taste and feeling of her lips on his.

"That was..."

"...great!" a voice finished from behind them.

The couple turned their heads around together to find a grinning blonde with a camera on his hand.

"Colin?" Hermione asked unsure because of the darkness.

"Hey Hermione!"

'Definitely Colin' Hermione shook her head.

"What, may I ask, are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously at the still grinning boy.

"Oh nothing" he paused as he was clicking something on his camera, then looked up at them and grinned at Draco's direction "Malfoy, I think you won the bet"

The expression on Draco's face stiffened as he slowly turned to face Hermione who looked confused.

Hermione had no idea what the boys were talking about until, her conversation with Noby came back into her mind.

"_Blonde boy? You mean Draco?"_

...

"_They be having a truce..."_

"_Truce?"_

"..._and a bet"_

"_A bet? A WHAT?!! What do you mean a bet? About what? On who?"_

"_Yee, me lady, yee"_

...

"_Just keep look out miss, they bet you a kiss, so Noby had heard"_

The expression on Hermione's face hardened as he looked at Draco, but her eyes weren't covered, it was full of sadness...betrayal. Draco felt guilty.

"What is this about the bet? Does this have anything to do with Parvati and Lavender?" she said in a hoarse voice, trying her best not to break down and cry.

Draco was still silent, she stood up.

"Answer me Draco, did you have a bet with Parvati and Lavender on me?"

He merely nodded.

"And does the bet concern the kiss we just shared?"

Again, he just nodded.

"What was the bet all about?" she asked not able to hold it anymore, letting a single tear fall freely from her eyes.

He fell silent.

"Colin?" she looked over at Colin "tell me"

"Errr..." he started unsurely, but seeing how serious the situation was, he continued "they betted that Draco could never kiss you before the month of December ended"

Hermione looked from him then at Draco.

"So that's it isn't it? All those love crap you were telling me and those stuff you said before about you being changed because now your father's gone was all part of your scheme to win the bloody bet?" her tears fell freely now.

"Hermione," Draco started as he stood up and tried to take her hand in his.

"No! Don't say my name, in fact don't say anything to me at all! Ever! Just stay away from me," she said, her voice filled with anger and sadness as she bent down and grabbed Harry's invisibility cloak and ran towards the castle.

"Was it wrong for me to tell her?" Colin asked Draco who now covered his face with his hands.

"No Creevy, it was the right thing to tell her but I hate you for being the one to tell her" he glared at Colin before grabbing his own cloak and jogging after Hermione into the castle.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Thanks for the reviews you guys! Glad to have more than I did with the last chapter, but I had to comment on this review though...

_the counter: _Well, you reviewed for the first chapter of my fic., obviously you haven't read the whole thing yet, and to be truthful, I feel sorry for you. You give bad comments to my fic. but you haven't even read 'till the last chapter yet, and you yourself don't even have a fic. yet. I'm 15, so it's normal that my fic. isn't perfect, this is my first fic. after all and people liked it, your the 4th person who commented something bad of all the 112 reviews I got, so I'm not at all affected by your pointless comment.

To future reviewers, if you would like to tell me my fic. isn't at all that good, you could at least say it to me nicely that you hated it rather than saying it to me rudely. Not only to me but that goes to the other writers you give reviews to, if you don't like a fic., then suggest something to make it better rather than telling us it's full of crap, it helps a lot you know!

Hoped you like this rather short chapter, my story is kinda changing all the time...don't you think? Well, my mind's changing ideas for the fic. so I hope you still like my fic...anyways, I hope you continue to R & R!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	18. Slytherins

Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter, as promised! Sorry if I posted it later than the day I promised I would. This is kinda short than the others but I hope you'll like it! Read on!

x

_**-Chapter 17: Slytherins-**_

"And to think I actually started to like him!" Hermione shouted furiously now with tears falling freely from her eyes, as she walked down a few corridors, not knowing where exactly she was going.

Then she stopped. She wouldn't have if she didn't bump into someone.

"Woah! Hold on there, nobody's supposed to be roaming around the castle at this time of- Hermione?" he asked as he saw the girl in front of him, face evident with sadness, eyes filled with tears "What happened?"

"D-Draco, Colon, a-a b-b-bet, and..." She stopped as she hugged Blaise and sobbed even more.

"H-huh?" Blaise asked unsurely but Hermione didn't acknowledge the questionable look on his face and just continued sobbing onto his chest.

Blaise awkwardly patted her back and then hugged her in return. He didn't know what to do with sobbing girls, he never had any girl cry to him for comfort before.

"Right" whispered a voice at the end of the corridor.

x

'I can't believe that Creevy was this stupid!' Draco thought heatedly as he walked down several corridors, looking for Hermione.

"Draco" a familiar voice called behind him.

He turned around to see the least person he expected to call his name.

"Hermione?" he asked disbelievingly then shook his head "look, I'm sorry about the bet, but I-"

"Don't worry, I forgive you, I know you didn't mean it, Blaise told me everything"

"Blaise?"

"Yes, that you were threatened that's why you accepted the bet"

"Errr...right! I-I was threatened!" Draco agreed unsurely.

Hermione leaned back on the wall and slid down on the floor.

"H-Hermione?" Draco asked as he sat down beside her.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"Of course, why do you ask?" she asked innocently.

"Well, first of all, you were mad at me"

"Do you want me to be mad at you?"

"No," he replied hastily "but it's kind of weird"

"What's weird?"

"You were furious at me a while ago, and now, you're acting as if nothing has happened"

"I told you, Blaise told me what really happened"

'That seems unusual because Blaise doesn't know about the bet, but if his reason brought Hermione back to me...I better thank him then' he thought.

"Draco" Hermione cooed.

"Huh?" Draco said cutting away from his thoughts.

Hermione leaned towards him slowly shutting her eyes.

Draco didn't get it why Hermione was acting this way, but he did like it so he shoved of his doubts as he too leaned in until their lips met each other into a kiss.

Draco felt weird, Hermione's kiss was very familiar but not the same kiss they shared a while ago. He can't quite place it but it strangely feels familiar, and he didn't like it.

"Oh my God" a familiar voice said not so far from them.

Draco didn't mind it but continued kissing Hermione as her arms were now wrapped around his neck, and his around her waist.

Again, he felt weird, as his hands continued traveling around her back, it feels like it wasn't hers at all.

"Pansy?" another familiar voice said in the same direction as the first one.

'Pansy?' Draco thought to himself as he turned his head and opened his eyes to look over at the source of the voice.

What he saw was utterly unbelievable.

"Hermione?!" asked Draco incredulously.

She was standing right there, tears still flowing from her eyes, beside a smirking Blaise who looked over behind Draco.

Draco was confused, he slowly turned his head to look at where Hermione was supposedly be sitting but saw...

"Pansy!" Draco shouted as he stood up hastily from the floor.

"Hello Draky" she said as she waved her hand mischievously at him "you're such a great kisser, exactly the same as I remembered"

He turned around hoping to catch Hermione before she would again conclude that he was using her, but when he did, all he saw was Blaise's retreating form, which was running after Hermione.

"Damn" Draco whispered to himself.

"That Polyjuice potion sure didn't last long" Pansy said from beside him, as she slowly stood up, not caring as to what had just happened.

"Pansy," Draco said started slowly.

"Yes Draky?" she said in a seducing way as she swept her hand along his arms back and forth.

"Go to hell" Draco finished as he glared at her menacingly.

Pansy was shocked at first, seeing Draco's cold eyes which was filled with much hatred and was looking directly at her was unexpected...in her own thoughts. She thought he liked it, and it was the only way she could remind Draco of how she really cared for him. She knew he wouldn't let her kiss him now that he liked the mudblood.

Instead of feeling hurt at Draco's expression to her, she ignored it and gave him a flirtatious smile and winked at him. Draco gave her a disgusted look and shoved her off, sending her away from him as he walked away, onto where Hermione was headed.

"That went well," Pansy sighed. "I was sure Blaise and the mudblood wouldn't go near this place and interrupt us when I saw her sobbing all over him down the second floor"

Pansy sighed again, 'I was so close!' she thought as she stomped her foot on the stone floor.

"What a waste!" she said irately, and added in a whisper "I'll get you for this mudblood, I will have my Draco back if it's the last thing I do"

x

"I-I don't believe th-this!" Hermione said as she sobbed more than ever.

"I'm sorry Hermione" said Blaise who was beside her trying to catch up.

"I thought h-he was different!"

"You can't blame him, he really is like that even to the other girls in our house"

"I th-thought he changed!"

"Just an advice from me Hermione, don't believe anything he says, he really is just a piece of scum," Blaise said as he nodded.

'And your going to be mine' he added to himself in a thought.

"I-I just c-can't accept it!"

"Try and accept it, he's not worth it Hermione, believe me. All he does is get to deep with girls and break their hearts right after"

"Stop it" Hermione said suddenly as she stopped.

"Huh?"

"Just stop it!"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you two friends? Isn't he your housemate?"

"Housemate? Yes...friends? Sort of"

"Then why are you speaking ill of him?" she asked the tone of her voice sounding much closer to hatred.

"Well, he really isn't all that of a great guy, in fact I don't really like him" Blaise said, not noticing her getting angry.

"Well then, good bye!" Hermione said shaking her head in a disagreeing manner.

"Huh? Wait!" Blaise shouted as he grabbed Hermione's wrist, stopping her "Why are you acting like this?"

"Why? You're asking me why? First of all you're just like him!"

"No I'm not," he said with a face, disgusted by the fact to be told that he was like Draco "I'm much more handsome than him thank you very much"

"See? All you care are your looks, you don't care about others"

"I care about you"

"I know you do, but sooner or later your just gonna abandon and use me just like what Draco did. You two are exactly alike"

"Hermione," he started.

"No, I don't want your comfort, I don't want anything at all from any of you Slytherins, all you do is hurt innocent and unsuspecting people from other houses such as myself, so bug off away from me" she said menacingly as she started walking away.

Blaise was quick as he took hold of her.

"Listen, I-"

"No, I won't listen and let go of me!" she said as she tried shoving him away from her.

"No I won't, not until you listen to what I have to say"

"I said let go!"

"No, listen, I was-"

"You heard the girl Blaise, let her go" said a voice behind them.

Blaise let go of her and rolled his eyes.

"Coming to the rescue are we, Draco?"

Draco smirked as he walked up to him and Hermione.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be off snogging Parkinson in deserted hallways?" Hermione asked both sarcastically and menacingly.

"I'm here to help you Hermione, this guy" he said tilting his head towards Blaise "is no good"

Blaise started to say something but Hermione's overruled his voice.

"No good? As if you're any better! Will you two just get away from me? Haven't you hurt me enough in one day?" she said looking from Draco to Blaise as she turned and left both guys speechless.

Being who he is, Draco spoke first.

"Great work Zabini, you just made her more furious at me"

"Yeah right, you started the whole thing and you're going to blame it on me?"

"I can't blame it on myself, could I now?"

Blaise snorted and started after Hermione.

"And where do think you're going?"

"After her, isn't it obvious?"

"Are you deaf? You heard her, she said to leave her alone"

"I heard her"

"Then you must be stupid not to understand what she said" Draco snorted as he walked pass Blaise still in the direction where Hermione took off.

"And where are you going then? You must be stupid too, following her even if she told you not to" Blaise smirked at him.

"Not as stupid as you, you didn't even bother considering that we have the same dorm room" Draco smirked right back at him as Blaise's face grew red, from embarrassment and from anger.

Draco smirked one last time at him as he slowly made his way.

Blaise was boiling now as he made his way in the opposite direction, stomping his foot as he walked.

_-End of Chapter-_

x

Hey guys!! Thank you for the reviews! I got loads more than before...keep it up! Aheheheh! Anyways, I know this chapter is kinda short, and I know I'm supposed to update the other day, but I had unexpected appointments...so, I'm soooo sorry! Hope you likes this chapter! I'll update as soon as I can! Take care! Please R & R!

_-DragonPrincessRhean-_


	19. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE!**

Everyone, I'm so sorry for never reviewing! Anyways, I'm discontinuing this story since I forgot all about the plot and other details about it over the year. And in my opinion (and others' as well) I really improved in my writing skills over the months/years. So, anyways…I have a new account and my new pen name is now **_the dreamer_**. I'm currently not writing fanfics. for Harry Potter in that account but instead for Card Captor Sakura (anime) but I will be posting Harry Potter fanfics. sometime soon.

I actually forgot all about this account (since my original e-mail add. for this account has been hacked in, but I changed it now) which is why I made the other one, so…if you wanna contact me or read my stories/future stories (which you might expect to be here), just head over to my other account okay?

I repeat: This story has been **DISCONTINUED**! Sorry again! Other than that, see yah!

**_DragonPrincessXXX / the dreamer_**


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